>>  "^'vi 


^* 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


[fflM  IIM 

I   1^    12.0 


1.8 


1.25      1.4 

J4 

-< 6"     — 

► 

Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


%^ 


,\ 


<^ 


:\ 


\ 


^^^ 


<Vl./'^0^ 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


■n 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  institute  for  Historical  IVIicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


I 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibllographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibllographlcally  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  Images  In  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  chanya 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


T 


I!    I   Coloured  covers/ 
Jk-l    Couverturo  da  couleur 


D 
D 
D 


Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommag6e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  peliicul6e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


r~~l    Coloured  maps/ 

j — I    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 

I — I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Cartes  gAographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue 

Encra  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  rellure  serrie  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int6rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutAes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  film6es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  le  mellleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  dt6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographlque.  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite.  ou  q^i  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m6thoti!e  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pelliculdes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d6color6es.  tachet^es  ou  piqu6es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  in6gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  mat6rlel  suppldmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponlble 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc..  have  been  ref limed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feulllet  d'errata.  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  film6es  d  nouveau  de  faqon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  belovw/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  rdduction  indiqud  ci-dessous 

10X  14X  18X 


22X 


D 


26X 


30X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


"1 


32X 


i 

itails 

i 

i  du 

( 

odifier 

i 

r  une 

1 

mage 

! 

9S 


'  errata 
d  to 

It 

>e  pelure, 

pon  d 


n 


asm 


The  copy  filmed  here  haw  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  Congress 
Photoduplication  Service 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  bnst  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — »-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposura  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


1 

2 

3 

L'exemplaire  filmd  fut  reproduit  grdce  d  la 
g6ndrosit6  de: 

Library  of  Congress 
Photoduplication  Service 

Les  ima(jes  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  film^s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmds  en  commengant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernldre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivant    apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seu!  clich6,  il  est  film^  ck  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

■   ^ 

5 

6 

1 

'i,                                                       .               "             '         '"                                                  .■    '         ' 

\i 


'■  I, 


.i1 


1^ 


'1 


) 


OUT  OF  THE  GAIN-LIFE 

INTO  THE  CHRIST-LIFE 


T 


GOSPEL  Helps, 

By 

REV.  HENRY  OSTROM. 

Oul  of  the  Cain-life.  Cloth  hoimd;  350  pHf^cs. 
l'rice;fi.2S. 

Selections  from  the  Tongue  of  Fire.  32  iiaj^fs. 
5C.  each,  35c.  per  dozen,  I2.50  per  hundred." 

The  Dearest  Psalm  and  The  Model  Prayer. 
Coniinents  on  the  Twenty -third  Psaltn  and  the 
lyord's  Prayer,  as  given  by  Mr.  Ostrom  at  his 
meetings  for  the  aged  and  for  men  respectively. 
Issued  by  request. 

Soul  Cease  Thine  Ease.  16  pages  and  cover. 
3c.  each,  30c.  per  doz,  |2.oo  per  hundred. 

COME  TO  JESUS  SERIES. 

Why  r\>  It,  How  Do  It,  Just  Do  It,  and  Having 
Done  It,  are  printed  in  4-page  Envelope  Leadets. 
IOC.  per  dozen. 

Address: 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY, 

OR 
HENRY  OSTROM,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 


T 


Out  of  The  cain-life 
I^r^o  The  Christ-life. 


BV 


Rev.  Henry  Ostrom, 


EVANGELIST. 


I 


Not  as  Cain.— I  John,  iii :  12. 
Christ  liveth  in  me.-GaIatians,  ii:20. 


if-  :     .       I 

•    ,  .  V 


FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 

Chicago  New  York 

M  DCCC  XCVII 


.^-^ 


Toronto 


\ 


& 


\ 


mn 


JU     ■il-IJK-yji 


3i 


Wr:^1 


(L^ 


i 


ooriBioniKD 

1896 

FLEMING  H.  KKVKLL  COMPANY 


« 


"v 


.^»»^. 


I 


i 


TO  MY  DEVOTED  WIFE. 


,1 


.•  •  .- 


i*rp:face 

An  apology  for  thi«  ai)i)onmnco  of  tliis  little 
book  would  bo  superfluous.  Au  uU  but  limitless 
subject  calls  for  a  i)lentitudo  of  expressions. 
More  hewers  will  yet  be  needed  before  a  clear 
path  through  the  forest  of  neff  has  been  Iiewn  out. 
These  chapters  have  grown  forth  during  my 
three  years'  labors  as  an  Evangelist.  During 
these  years  the  conviction  has  thrilled  my  very 
soul  that  Mercy,  Kindness  and  Love  must  be  set 
forth  unbecloudcd  before  the  people  of  this  age. 
Our  diminutive  life  will  never  sweep  out  into  Us 
intended  vastness  u>itil  the  gentler  graces  flow 
Into  the  most  delicate  and  extreme  channels  of 
the  being. 

The  coming  victory  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven 
waits  only  upon  true  unity  of  spirit  among  the 
people  called  Christians.  Let  the  Chnst-»i>irit 
supplant  the  Umn-spirit  and  we  shall  not  so 
readily  wonder  what  Jesus  meant  when  yet  stand* 
ing  upon  this  earth  he  said  to  Nicodemus,  "Even 
the  Son  of  Man  wliicii  is  in  heaven."  for  in  that 
spirit  heaven  meets  earth  and  laps  over  it. 

Should  these  pages  prove  to  be  the  Holy  Spirit's 


^'-^■uttT'.r-rr*^-^'^*"^'""  -  .-^<*--> 


4  PREFACE 

messengers  of  lii'lp  to  any,  llieii  those  ugecl  und 
younger  people  who  have  requested  their  publi- 
cation and  assisted  in  their  prcdi:ction  will  find 
eternal  fruitage  from  their  words. 

They  have  been  written  in  the  midst  of  active 
undertakings  in  my  evangelistic  work,  and  if  it 
should  appear  in  any  instance  that  the  lines  of 
thought  show  a  very  light  touch  of  the  pen,  the 
reader  can  always  find  the  key  to  the  meaning  of 
my  message  in  the  words  of  a  Christian  Philan- 
throphist,  '-People  seem  to  forget  that  it  is 
manly  to  be  godly."  Hkxry  Ostrom. 

•     Note.  -Most  of  the  Scripture  quotations  used  in  this  book  are 
taken  from  the  Revised  Vursioi. 


• 


I 


CONTENTS. 

Pago. 

Preface ■< 

Cii.\i>Ti:ii  1. 
The  Cain-Life 9 

ClIAPTEH  2. 

The  Common  Lot 37 

ClIAPTEK  3. 

The  Clirist  Miracle 47 

CHAl'TEK  4. 

The  Mastery  of  Christ 65 

Chapter  5. 

Etchings  of  .the  Redemptive  Idea 93 

Chapter  0. 

Christian  Redemption 107 

Chapter  7. 

The  Redemption  of  Sorrow 139 

Chapter  8. 

The  Divine  Unfolding 143 

Chapter  9. 

The  Needed  Gift Hil 

Chapter  10. 

The  Seven-Fold  Revealing 189 

(1.)    The  Universal  Revelation. 
(2.)    The  Scripture  Revelation. 
(3.)    The  Revelation  of  Self  and  Sin. 
(4.)    The  Revelation  of  Salvation. 


*  CONTENTS 

(5.)    Tho  Roveallnj?  or  the  Direct  Witness. 
(0.)    Tho  Revelation  in  tho  Godly  Lifp. 
(7.)    Special  Revelations  to  Faith. 
Chapter  ii. 
The  Holy  Spirit  Asserting  Jesus 315 

ClIAPTEB    12. 

Strengthened  with  Power 05- 

"wij* 

Chapter  13. 
The  Unfailing  Oraco o-,f) 

Chapter  14. 
Some  Christian  Symbols  o   the  ll'Aj  Spirit 279 

Chapter  13. 
Not  Your  Own jj  ^ 

Chapter  10. 
Receiving  tho  Holy  Spirit 307 


"ill 


J37 


2.-a 

279 
311 
327 


THE  CAIN-LIFE. 


"  The  Bible  will  bo  honest  witli  you,  and  while  it  makes 
all  admissions,  oiict'ilain  proiUHis,  as  to  what  dilTt-ronti- 
atos  you  f  rom  other  people  who  are  dishonorable  and  dis- 
honest and  have  broken  vows  outwardly  it  proes  straight 
into  tlio  conscience  and  says,  'After  all  you  are  a  sin- 
ner, you  are  smitten  with  an  incurable  disease  which 
knows  no  remedy  save  tho  knowledge  and  experience  of 
which  come  not  from  earth  but  straight  and  miracu- 
lously from  heaven.'"  Kiev.  Jon.\  MacXkil. 

Ami  the  Lord  saiil  xntit  Ctiln,  where  in  AlicI  thy 
brother?  Ami  he  naiil  I  hnnw  nut:  Am  I  mn  hruthcr's 
keeper?  Ami  he  salil  what  hoxt  thmt  (ioiic  I*— (Jenesis, 
IV:  9,  10. 

"  And  apart  from  races  we  deem  barbarous,  is  not  the 
passion  for  dominion  and  wealth  and  power  accountable 
for  the  worst  chapters  of  cruelty  and  oppression  written 
In  tho  world's  history  ?  Few  people— perhaps  none — are 
free  from  this  reproach.  What  indeed  is  true  civilization? 
By  its  fruit  you  shall  know  it.  It  is  not  dominion, 
wealth,  material  luxury,  nay,  not  even  a  great  literature 
and  education,  widespread — good  though  these  bo.  Civili- 
zation is  not  a  veneer;  it  must  penetrate  to  the  very  heart 
and  core  of  societies  of  men.  Its  true  signs  are  thought 
for  the  poor  and  suffering,  chivalrous  regard  and  respect 
for  woman,  the  1  ank  recognition  of  human  brother- 
hood, irrespective  of  race  or  color  or  nation  or  religion, 
the  love  of  ordered  freedom,  abhorrence  of  what  is  moan 
and  cruel  and  vile;  coa.seless  devotion  to  the  claims  of 
justice.  Civilization  in  that,  its  true,  its  highest  sense, 
must  make  for  peace."'  Siit  CiiAr.i.Ks  Russell, 

Lord  Chief  Junticc  of  Einjhiml. 


THE  CAIN-LIFE. 


\ll/iiKUK  tlic  fields  of  art  boar  their  newest 
'  '  growths,  Uk>  head  of  Cain,  the  lirst-born  of 
Adam  and  Evo,  is  rising  into  prcniincMicp.  In 
the  art  galh>rios  of  Europe  and  Anicricv;  the 
traveler  is  surprised  to  find  this  man  pietured 
and  sculptured  so  often.  Tliat  it  would  be  an 
unspeakably  blessed  cireumstanee  if  the  spirit  of 
this  first  son  of  humanity  could  be  entirely  ban- 
ished from  our  race,  so  that  it  finds  expression 
nowhere  upon  earth,  saving  in  stone  or  on  can- 
vas,  there  to  remind  all  men  of  their  deliverance 
from  the  Cain-life  until  they  rejoice  and  serve  in 
the  very  spirit  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  shall  be 
the  burden  of  the  message  here  set  forth. 

"Not  as  Cain,"  says  the  aged  apostle  John 
when  he  would  plainly  present  to  the  people 
"a  model  to  avoid,'  for  Cain  "was  of  that 
wicked  one,  and  slew  his  brother,"  when  jealousy 
had  grasped  him  as  if  soul  and  body  had  been 
grasped  and  thrown  down  against  the  righteous 
conduct  of  Abel.  If,  as  so  many  think,  Eve 
really  believed  that  her  first-born  was  the  Messiah, 
how  sadly  disappointed  she  mxist  have  felt  when 


10 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


her  bruised  hopes  lay  at  the  feet  of  this  cringin<r 
self-excusing  murderer.  But  whatever  she°may 
have  thought,  either  then  or  previously  about 
the  mission  of  her  boy,  slie  knew  that  she  was  Ms 
own  mother  and  you  and  I  know  that  Cain  is  our 
own  brotlior  ! 

Yes.    Cain,    too,    is  our  brother.       Ih  miglit 
all  but  di.sown  that  dear  bond   with  Abel     but 
we  can  not  disown  Cain.      The   poor  murderer 
Opportunity  has  been  piled  up  into  heights  since 
he    thrust    his    brother    down,    and    the    word 
"brother"  has  always  been   kept  higher  than 
opportunity,   for   that    word  does    not    abide    in 
the   mere   letter  of   the  law.     It   breathes    the 
spirit  of  the  deathless  law  of  love.     So,  we  can 
not  disown  Cain.TThe  pity  is  that  we  have  been 
like  smaller   or  younger   brothers   copying   his 
ways  and  drinking  of  his  spirit  instead  of  nobly 
sotting  up  the  standard  of  love  to  attract  our 
fellow  men  from  the  Cain-spirit.      For  this  sad 
reason    our   kinship   is    to    be   deplored.      That 
we  can  not  disown  it  may  appear  more  real  to 
us  as    we   consider  how   our   hand;^.   have   been 
lifted  in  the  very  same  positions  as  Cain's  and 
our  hearts  too  have  burned  with  the  sawe  slaying 
heat,    while   God   said    to    us     "  Whor.   is    thy 
brother  ? "  ^ 

But  there   has   appeared   amid   the  centuries 
another  brother,  even  Jesus  the  Christ.    We  may 


1; 


THE  CAISLIFF. 


11 


well  wish  to  wash  our  lips  as  we  apply  such  a  title 
as  "  Rrothor  "  to  him  whoso  every  act  and  word 
stand  forth  in  history  as  the  light  and  life  of  men. 
But  let  us  by  faith  claim  the  kinship  with  him 
and  seek  to  find  all  our  fellow  men  in  this  family, 
in  the  kinship  of  which  life  is  given  rather  than 
taken,  and  salvalion  rather  Ihan  murder  is 
wrilten  over  the  door  of  the  heart. 

The  elevator  of  human  history  fell  with  a  crash 
when  man  became  a  sinner.  Adam  was  in  that 
falling  elevator.  And  the  splinters  flew  every- 
whither. They  wounded  Cain.  They  have  since 
been  festering  the  race.  Adam  sinned  directly 
against  God,  Cain  sinned  directly  against  man, 
Adam  excused  himself  by  casting  the  blame  upon 
the  woman,  Cain  excuLOO  himself  by  ploadin"- 
ignorance.  Adam  was  a  rebel,  Cain  was  a  mur- 
derer. 

What  heart  can  conceive  the  awful  change 
which  must  have  come  into  the  na.ure  of  Adam 
when  ho  undertook  to  hide  away  from  God.  But 
would  not  the  change  in  the  relation  between 
man  and  man  be  equally  marked  and  awful,  how 
awful  did  not  really  appear  until  Cain  had'caused 
the  blood  of  his  brother  to  flow  out  upon  the  unfor- 
giving earth. 

I  desire  you  to  study  with  me  not  so  much  the 
act  of  Cain  as  the  spirit  of  the  man.  The  Cain- 
spirit,    the  Cain-life  is  a   murderous   life.      V/e 


» 


orr  OF  nil':  caix-lifi: 


must  not  ovpr-cstinuito  tho  rxtcnt  to  which 
this  spirit  h;is  iifreclcd  us,  for  this  would  bo  lo 
slundcr  humanity,  but  on  the  other  hand  wo  may 
well  pray  to  be  kept  from  condoninj^  or  overlook- 
ing it,  lost,  deceiving  ourselves,  we  lower  tho 
standard  of  character,  and  when  you  lower  that 
you  can  heighten  nothing. 

That  murderous  spirit  has  scattered  its  conta- 
gion among  humanity  until  there  is  a  little  mtn-- 
der  in  us  all.  Anger,  strife,  scorn,  heartless 
competition,  malice,  wrath,  tho  look  of  reproach, 
the  unforgiving  spirit,  those  would  never  have 
been  known  to  exist  between  man  and  man  had 
not  the  Cain-s])i!-it  crimsoned  the  race.  Tho 
drooping  arms  of  Cain  form  on  either  side  tli(> 
water-shed  of  the  Iniman  race.  See  how  instead 
of  the  tropical  gulfs  of  peace  and  good  will 
among  men,  receiving  ever  fresh  and  full  supply, 
this  murderous  spirit  has  sent  forth  the  chilly 
waves  of  rebellion  and  anger  until  tli(>y  have  be- 
come frozen  into  treacherous  heights  against 
which  the  millions  have  dashed  into  shipwreck. 
Had  Cain  raised  his  right  hiind  unto  his  God  and 
lowered  his  left  hand  helpfully  to  his  brother, 
peace  on  earth,  good  will  among  men  might  this 
very  moment  have  charmed  the  whole  race  into 
the  RKST  of  its  God. 

Then  man  would  have  lived  for  his  fellows,  each 
man  would  have  been  a  benediction  to  all  other  men 


77//;  ('Ai.\i.:ii: 


i.i 


—  no  conllift.  no  discord,  but  .sucotcst  accord  iiiul 
luirmniiy  would  luivo  pivvailcd.  Tlic  unit.d 
wliolc  family  would  liavc  ahod-  in  |ica(c,  and 
'••'<''  '"iiir.s  .•h:,'-  u-Irr  would  l,a\c  h,.,.,,  a  |,uiv 
^"""'•''"  ""I  "I'  wliitli  his  r,.|lnws  would  hav.. 
druukru,  each  iu  luru,  [iroducirifr  an  iuci'casi"  of 
In-ncdictions  for  (Iir  other  .so  naturally  (hat  cm-u 
angels  would  iuive  had  a  joy  in  it,  all  free  from 
ustoni.slM'u.nt   as  tliey   would  have  said,   •dJciiokl 

Hut  liow  wi>le  11u>  contagion  lias  spread,  iiow 
[ilcntiful  the  poisonous  crop  which  lias  ^rown 
from  tlio  Cain-spirit.      Ai  its   root  it  may  appear 

*•'  "J*^'  ''*"i'  • V  than  self-assertion,  or  self-inde- 

pondcMice.  Now  any  man  can  a.serl  his  ..nn 
independence,  yes,  any  devil  can  do  thai  much, 
but  it  t..ok  the  Sou  of  (Jod  to  be  great  enough  to 
make  himself  of  no  reputation,  taking  upon  him 
the  form  of  a  servant,  to  lay  down  his  lif,-  f„r  the 
world.  Self-assertion!  Yes,  indeed,  little  chil- 
dren have  had  tiioir  happy  hours  blighted  antl 
blasted  with  its  murderous  sweep.  Oh,  tlie  pity 
of  it!  Two  little  children  could  not  play  together 
without  the  quarrel.  A  sweet  little  gLi'l  of  four 
years  was  talking  very  rapidly  n..  eagerly  'lo 
her  father,  who  had  returned  home  after  a  pro- 
longed absence.  Her  little  brother,  who  was  two 
years  her  senior,  whispered  humorously  to  the 
father,   '-She   thinks  she  is   mistress  here,  don't 


14 


otrr  OF  THE  caixlife 


'!    I 


I    ■ 


she  ?"  Tho  littlo  girl  iinmodiutcly  rcqiu'stcd  of 
the  futhor  to  toll  h(M-  what  licr  brolliri-  had  Haid, 
when  tho  following  opisodo  oocunvd: 

Falhor:  "Oh,  it's  a  sonvt  i)ot\vcoii  him  and 
mo,  you  novor  mind." 

Littlo  daughter  rrios  pitoously. 

Fathor:  "My  darling,  you  must  not  ny  so. 
Why  I  thought  you  wore  Iiavinj;  such  a  nice  time; 
now  lot  us  go  right  on  with  our  visit." 

Littlo  daughtor:  ••!  want  to  know  wliat  ho 
suid  wIuMi  ho  whisporod  to  you." 

Fathor:  "  My  son,  tell  hor  what  you  said  to 
mo." 

Tho  littlo  boy:  "Xo,  papa,  she  does  not  nood 
to  know  what  I  said." 

Fathor:      "Yos,  my  son,  you  toll  her." 

The  little  boy:     "No,   papa,  I  don't  want  to." 

Fathor:  "  My  son,  you  must  tell  your  sister 
wliat  you  said." 

Littlo  boy:  "I  said  that  you  thought  that  you 
were  mistress  around  here." 

Little  daughter  greatly  increases  hor  crying. 

Father:  "My  son,  tlirow  you  arms  about  your 
little  sister's  nock  and  tell  hor  you  are  sorry  to 
have  grieved  hor." 

Littlo  boy:      '•  I  don't  want  to." 

Father:  "Yo.s,  my  dear,  you  must  tell  hor  you 
are  sorry.  Throw  your  arms  about  her  neck  and 
kiss  her,  right  away." 


' 


1 


ti 


TIIH  CAIX-UFi-: 


IS 


Till'  act  is  doiu'. 

T/itllc  (laii^'litcr;      ••  Ptipii,  ho  did    iint  ixiss  me 

at  all,  111- just  put  las  lii»s  iij»  against  my  face," 

Till-  faliii'i-:      "  My  son,  I  ran  not  tell  you  a,',':iin 

— tlH'dw  vdur  arms  al^dut  your  sisU-r's  m-cic,  kiss 

hor  and  toll  her  you  arc  sorry." 

Tli'<  Ivarty  spirit  of  for^'ivcncss  was  evident, 
tlio  cryinjf  iuid  cea.sed,  tlio  visit  was  resui,i((],  and 
the  children  wore  once  more  under  tlie  dominion 
ofl(ive;liut  throu<j,Ii  all  llie  preceding  stages  of 
this  epi.-(i(le  there  was  evident  the  Cain-spirit. 
Tlio  liltU'  cliildrt-n  \.lio  belong  to  Jesus,  and  who 
aro  the  heirs  of  his  kingdom,  find  the  same 
tempter  who  induced  Cain  to  slay  his  brother 
blighling  their  play  hours  with  a  deadly  spirit  of 
strife. 

Tlioy  grow  up.  until  a  dozen  summers  have 
passed  and  the  little  school  quai-rels  come;  less 
than  a  dozen  more  years  have  passed,  and  tlio  un- 
willingness to  speak  with  each  other  or  the  oppo- 
sition in  conversation  against  each  other  comes 
into  the  field.  At  mid-age  and  in  old  ao-e  the 
strife  becomes  hot,  intense,  and  spiteful.  Plots 
and  murders  arc  but  the  outbreakiivgs  of  the 
same,  one,  common  spirit;  it  gels  into  the  na- 
tions, it  gets  into  the  churches,  it  gets  into  the 
families.  Andrew  Murray  has  said,  "In  tlicse 
later  times,  even  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  a  cause  of  separation.     Lot  us  learn  not  to  ox- 


19 


orr  nr  riii:  r.i/.v  ///•/■; 


Hi 


I  1 


poet  that  nil  Hhould  think  llic  sumo  or  f>\pn'ss 
thcmsi'Ivcs  ill  tlic  same  way;  l''t  ••ur  liisl  cari-  bo 
In  cxi'i'iisc  liiM',  jji'iitlfiicsH,  kiridiii'ss.  We  oflcii 
thiiili  we  lire  Viiliaiil  Tor'  lli.'  Ii'iilli.  ;iii(l  uc  l'iti';;<'t 
Unit  (Jod's  word  (■niiiiiiaiKls  us  ti>  aj  mlc  tin:  Imlh 
ill  /fifi." 

Mi'ii  arc  Uiinwn  to  live  uilliin  a  Iniiuli'cd  yards 
of  tlicif  fellow  incii  for  twenty  yrars  witnout 
spcakinj^  to  tlioni.  Mcnibrrs  of  tin'  sami'  family 
will  live  in  the  saincrity  for  years  witiiont.  jijroet- 
injj  eaeli  otiier;  and  if  tliey  resolve  that  tliey  will 
come  t)iit  of  this  awful  thraldom  of  the  ("ain-lifo 
they  lind  it  iio.l  to  impossible  tod,)  it.  A  woman 
who  was  a  mi'iiilter  of  the  Chi'istian  I'liiirch  aros(' 
in  a  prayer  rneetiiifj,'  one  morniny;  and  said,  "I 
would  like  to  be  cxiuscd  from  this  meeting.  L 
want  to  ^o  and  see  a  fi'icnd  of  mine  to  wliom  I 
have  not  spoken  for  tluce  years,  She  lives  in 
this  city  and  I  must  see  her."  That  woman  re 
tired  from  the  incetinj^f  and  appcai'ed  a^ain  at  the 
afternoon  sei'viee.  Wiicn  asked  if  she  iiad  suc- 
ceeded in  meetinj^  tliat  neighbor,  with  whom  she 
had  not  spoken  for  so  long,  she  answered,  '-No,  I 
went  to  her  home  three  times  but  failed  to  gain 
admissum."  '-Could  not  we  help  you  find  her? 
IIow  far  away  does  she  live?"  ••Oh."  said  the 
woman,  "she  lives  less  tlian  three  blecks  from 
my  homo.  She  is  my  sister."  Here  were  two 
people  born   of   the   same   motliei^,  nursed  at  the 


Tin:  r.\i\  I  irr, 


It 


Mimi'  Ijo^diii,  Kitkcd  ill  llic  Miiiii' rriidlc  niitl  ciill.'d 
by  tlu>  siimc  surmmii',  liviii;j;  in  llic  saiiic  lil y,  so 
tlMir(tUH;liIy  on.sluvt'd  by  llio  Culii-splril.  Iluit  tiny 
liad  not  sjickiMi  to  caili  other  for  tliri'c  years. 

In  one  of  my  nif('lin;.;s  tlu'i'i"  sut  u  man  wlicsc 
face  Wdic  till'  ('Xj)ivssion  ol'  iiitt'lii^^cni-c  hnt  uim 
UiijicaiiMl  \('iy  miiili  drjcrtcd.  At  tlic  close  of 
tiie  meetlni.^'  I  said  to  Iiiin.  'My  friend,  are  yon 
in  tronlile  ?  "  'Well,"  said  lie,  ••  I  am  a  clini'eli 
nicndier  and  1  do  not  tliinli  I  am  iiviaif  rinlit," 
"TluMi,"  suid  T,  "do  yon  l^iiow  uiiat  tlie  dillienity 
Is?"  Aftei"  dee])  !-i;iliiiijf  witli  many  nervous 
gestures,  lie  replied,  "Yes,  I  have  an  nnele  Iiviii<^ 
ill  this  city,  and  between  hiin  and  me  tliere  arose 
a  dilTerenee  some  years  ay;o,  and  we  hav(>  not 
Kj)ol<en  to  eaeli  other  durinj^  all  these  years.  T 
feel  that  I  ought  to  ;;n  and  see  him,  bnt  he  does 
not  profess  to  be  a  Christian  and  I  do  not  know 
liow  he  will  receive  me."  Ife  promised  to  see 
liis  rncle  about  Ihe  matter  that  night.  Tfe  con- 
sented that  T  sliould  aeeomjiany  him  until  we 
eame  to  the  coriu^r  of  the  street  which  led  ii])  to 
the  home  of  his  uncle,  then  he  told  m(>  that  he 
would  go  alone  and  that  uU  would  be  well.  I 
wished  him  the  abundant  blessing  of  (iod  u])on 
his  splendid  decision  and  bade  him  good-night. 
Next  day  he  sat  in  the  meeting  the  picture  of 
dejection  still.  After  we  had  concluded  the  pub- 
lic service  I  approached  him  and  asked  him  how 


r 


[:  i 


IS 


OUT  OF  THE  CATX-Lrri: 


:.''  ni 


I    '; 


rii! 


i: 


ii 


lie  siifc'fcilod  Willi  , lis  uncle.  "O,  "  said  lie,  -I 
went  riylit  up  to  llie  door  of  his  house,  but  I 
could  not  go  in."  Tlien  he  promised  me  tluit  he 
would  go  and  see  his  uncle  immedititelv.  That 
night  he  returned,  O,  so  dejected.  I  approached 
him  again  and  said,  '-You  have  not  seen  your 
uncle."  "No,  sir,"  said  he.  Then  we  prayed 
togetlier.  He  wept  and  pleaded  with  God  to 
grant  him  grace  sufiicient  to  make  him  strong 
enough  to  siieak  to  that  uncle.  Ah!  the  stfu«-..lo 
The  next  time  I  saw  this  man  he  was  approac!;- 
ing  me  on  the  street,  his  head  was  erect,  hi:;  slep 
was  elastic  and  his  face  was  beaming.  Before  ho 
had  gotten  near  enougli  to  mo  for  us  to  shako 
hands,  he  said,  '-I  saw  my  uncle.  It  is  nU 
right  now."  "Well,"  said  this  conqueror,  fresh 
out  of  the  Cain-life,  "I  went  into  the  house  and 
told  my  uncle  about  the  difference.  I  said  that  I 
had  always  thought  he  was  in  the  fault  in  the 
matter,  but  I  could  plainly  f.ee  now  that  I  had 
not  shown  him  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  I  had 
made  up  my  mind  to  live  a  Christly  life  ht.^c^- 
forth  and  I  wished  him  to  forgive  me  for  uol 
having  done  so  before.  O,  you  should  have  seen 
him;  he  threw  his  hands  down  on  the  arms  of  the 
chair  and  said,  'I  could  lot  have  done  it,  I  could 
not  have  done  it.'  "  No,  the  natural  man  can  not 
from  the  heart  perform  such  a  great  act,  neither 


;    I- 


'Uii 


THE  CAIS-LIPE 


10 


"I 
Ut  I 

L  he 
'hat 
hi>a 
our 
yvd 
to 
ong 
Ejie. 
ich- 
lop 
'ho 
ako 
all 
esh 
md 
it  I 
the 
liad 
iiad 

een 
the 
uld 
not 
her 


c'uii  he  account  for  it,  but  when  he  sees  it  an  im- 
pression of  the  divine  presence  affects  his  soul. 

A  vast  revival  undertaking  was  practically 
snow-bound  with  a  yard  of  carpet  about  which 
two  prominent  church  members  had  quarreled, 
and  we  did  not  know  that  the  quarrel  existed  un- 
til they  confessed  it  and  forgave  each  other;  then 
the  revival  proceeded.  Another  revival  was 
full-fledged  in  a  day,  by  a  Sunday-School  superin- 
tendent and  a  leading  church  worker  giving  up 
disagreement  and  each  requesting  the  other's 
prayers.  Over  and  over  and  over  again  this 
truth  is  verified  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  question, 
"  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  dis- 
ciples when  ye  have  love  one  to  another."  When 
sermons  and  songs  and  arguments,  when  plead- 
ings and  strugglings  have  failed,  the  spirit  of 
Christian  love  will  make  a  channel  thi'ough  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  will  reach  the  hardest  infidel  in 
the  community.  These  cases  arc  rather  typical 
than  extreme.  The  Cain-spirit  is  not  incidental, 
it  is  in  the  fliivor  of  the  natural  character,  and 
when  analyzed  Paul  calls  it  "  bitterness." 

1.  The  New  Testament  description  of  tht  nat- 
ural man  is  very  explicit.  When  I  say  the  nat- 
ural man  I  use  the  word  -'natural"  in  its  com. 
monly  accepted  meaning.  Really  to  become  a 
Christian  is  in  the  highest  sense  to  become  natu- 


r 


20 


OfT  OF  THE  VAIS-LIFE 


I  n 


liii 


aid 


A' 


SIllIU" 


Till,  for  as  William  Aiiliur  ha- 
(lur  nalui'e  is  unnatural.  " 

Let  us  look  at  soiHO  of  these  ilcscripl ions  of  Iho 
natural  man  as  given  in  the  New  Testament. 
"From  that  time  f(n-th  began  Jesus  to  show  unto 
his  (lis(ij)ios  hovvtiiat  he  inur;t  go  unto  Jerusalem, 
and  sulTer  many  tilings  of  the  elders  and  chief 
priests  and  serii)e>.  and  he  kill(«d,  and  be  raised 
again  the  third  day.  Then  Peter  took  him  and 
began  to  rebuke  him.  saying,  be  it  far  from  thee, 
Lord:  this  shall  not  be  unto  thee.  TJut  he  turned 
and  said  unto  Peter,  Get  tliee  behind  me  Satan; 
thou  art  an  olTense  unto  mc;  for  thou  savourest 
not  the  things  that  be  of  God,  but  those  that  be 
of  men.  Then  Jesus  said  unto  his  disciples,  if 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  him- 
self, and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me.  For 
whosoever  shall  save  his  life  shall  lose  it;  and 
M-lios(  ever  shall  lose  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find 
it."     Matt,  xvi:  21-25. 

See  how  clearly  Jesus  teaches  here  that  the 
natural  man  is  an  unsacrificial  being;  he  does  not 
believe  in  going  to  his  Calvary  but,  rather  the  op- 
posite. That  very  spirit  which  made  the  Cre-sars 
build  their  thrones  upon  the  sulTerings  of  their 
fellow  men  is  the  spirit  of  the  natural  nr-.n.  That 
very  spirit  of  the  Pueblo  Indian  which  made  him 
scalp  a  white  man  that  he  might  him.self  inherit 
some  abilitv  which  the  white  man  had,  so  that 


77//:  caixlipf: 


21 


tlir  iiioiv  scal[)s  lit'  could  I'iishMi  to  liis   o-irdh.   ih^ 
more  of  otl.cr  men's  abilities  lie  tliouelit   he  Jiatl 
captured— tliat  is  the  spirit  of   tlie  iiatnral  man 
and  is  it  not  the  Cuin-spirit?     Christ  camo   into 
till'  world,    teac'hiiio-   us   groatnoss    in    saerifieo, 
'•Take  up  your  cross  and  follow  mo."     I  tliinlc  if 
lie  were  saying  it  to-day  he  wo  i!d  use  soiiio  .sinh 
expression  as,   ••Follow  me  to  the  very  gallowsoi- 
to  tlio  eleotroeutioner"s  chair."    ••Lose  your  life," 
suilh  ho.    The  natural  man  do(\s  not  boliovo  in  it, 
and  woro  it   not   for  those  mild  otching.s  ropre- 
.sented  by  such   types  of  character  as  that  of  the 
mother,  wo  would  hardly  find  a  vestige  of  a  hint 
of  the  sacrificial  left  in  the  race.     It  was  no  mere 
touch   of   insight    into    human    character    which 
caused  Isaiah   to  say:      ••Cease  fi'oin  man  whoso 
breath  is  in  his  no.-,trils. "  I  do  not  mean  now  to  .say 
simply  that  man  is  a  sinner  and  unreliable  by  na- 
ture, but  I  mean   that  my  reader  and  I  shall   so 
see  man  that  we  shall   know   that  the  sacrificial 
life  is  not   naturally  welcome    to   him.      Man   has 
not  only  lost  his  loyalty  to  God,  hut  he  has  lost 
that   holy  chai'm  of  the  divine  nature  which  has 
boon  the  secret  of  all  mercy  ever  sliown  to  need^ 
rebels.     Poor  selfish  soul,  afraid  of  circumstances 
and  afraid  of  death,  bethink  thee  God  made  thee 
to  have   dominion  and  to  rule,  but   never  canst 
thou  take  thy  victoi-ious  position  until  thou  hast 
the  sac:  ifi.'ial  spirit. 


i      ] 


•  '1 


ii 


t-ij 


23 


Of.T  OP  THE  CAIN-LTFE 


^ 


Tlu'  iiiiliii\il  uuui  is  pivoii  lo  mini'le  re- 
ligiou  and  worklliiu-ss.  When  Jesus  said  to  the 
Ijoople,  "Ye  can  not  serve  God  and  mammon," 
and  "No  man  can  servo  two  masters,"  ho  had 
just  drawn  a  remarkable  picture  of  business 
shrewdness,  closing  it  up  with  the  expression  of 
the  sacrificial  spirit  in  business,  and  Luke  says, 
"Immediately  the  Pharisees  who  were  lovers  of 
money  heard  all  these  things  and  they  scoffed  at 
him."  Jesus  replied,  "That  whieh  is  exalted 
among  men  is  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God." 
(See  Luke,  ch.  IG.)  Here  Jesus  used  the  word 
"men"  as  ho  did  in  the  previous  case  when 
speaking  to  Peter.  Why  did  he  not  say  that 
which  is  exulted  of  the  devil?  Or,  Avhen  speak- 
ing to  Pe+er,  why  did  ho  not  say  thou  mindest 
not  the  things  of  God  but  the  things  of  the  devil. 
No,  in  each  case  he  uses  the  word  "men." 

The  natural  man  has  the  Cain-spirit,  and  he 
wants  to  mingle  I'eligi-ni  and  worldliness,  Christ 
came  proclaiming  God  as  twi.  manager  of  business, 
saying  in  his  message,  ' '  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of 
God, "  promising  clothing  and  food  to  be  added.  He 
would  have  nothing  secular;  he  would  lift  every 
necossary  toil  and  business  transaction  up  into  the 
sacred  realm,  and  make  life,  all  lif?,  religious.  But 
the  natural  man  has  shut  this  out  from  his  view; 
he  sees  what  he  calls  prosperity;  he  does  not  see 
God.     He  talks  about  making  a  living,  forgetting 


t 


mmm 


r 


THE  CATXLfFE 


CT 


that  niiikiii'T  iiliviii}^' is  surely  tlic  least  duty  in  tliis 
life,  lie  proposes  to  exhale  ri;^hteousiiess  before 
he  has  inhaled  it.  Ho  would  shut  the  whole  uni- 
verse out  from  his  vision  by  holding  a  penny 
bofore  each  oyo.  Worldliness  is  blind.  It  is 
money-blinu. 

3.      The  natural  man  is  a  vuin-ijlorious  b(>in<'-.  ' 
"How   ean    yo    believe,"    .says   Christ,    '-which 
receive  glory  one  of  another,  and  the  glory  that 
eomoth    from    the    only   God    ye    seek    not." — 
John  v:  44.     Just  ten  verses  preceding  this  Jesus 
said,  "The  witness  I  receive  is  not  from  man." 
Now,  Christ  loves  the  witness  of  the  regenerated 
man,  but  man  as  he  is,  the  natural  man  can  not 
bring  acceptable   witness   to  the  Christ.     Jesus 
could  not  e.xalt  and  connncnd  Herod,  but  he  could 
exalt  and  commend  Mary  Magdalen  after  she  was 
saved,  for  she  had  lost  the  Cain-spirit  and  found 
true  character.     The  natui'al  man  docs  not  reckon 
values  properly;  he  does  not  see  the    worth  of 
Jesus.     Jesus  came,  completely  changing  the  idea 
of  greatness.     T^Tejifvtin-iil  rr^nn  h.^ii.w^c  <>-iilJl 
is  great_tQ.Jjje  exalted.     Jesus  tenches  that  it  is_ 
great^to  set^^e^     The  Cain-spirit  kills  the  brother, 
the  Jesus-spirit  prays  for  its  murderers.      Oh,  let 
us    lose   our    vain-glory,    and    find    to-day    that 
humility  which  comes  from  the  very  life  of  the 
Spirit  of  God.      Your  lamp  turned  up  too  high 
will  smoke  and  sjjutter;  turn  it  dov/n  and  it  will 


r 


i:  !i 


i   I 


i  i 


3» 


OT'T  OF  THE  CAIX-LIFH 


ii;\u-  lij^hl  loiill  11a-  fiiiiiily.      Tlic  li;^dit  of  Ihe  soul 
JiplK'urs  when  bufiiislicd  with  sorvico. 

4.  Tlio  naturul  man  is  spiteful.  SaitlJcsus to 
his  disfii.lcs,  "Yi.  sliull  bo  hated  of  all  mow  for 
my  namo's  salci'."  JIatt.  x:22.  lie  had  told 
the  disciples  that  men  would  deliver  them  up. 
He  warned  them  to  Ijeware  of  men.  He  did  not 
here  say  beware  of  Saliin,  hut  of  men.  The  nat- 
ural man  is  spiteful.  In  the  ISth  eha[)ter  of 
Matthew's  Gospel  a  record  is  made  of  Jesus" 
touching  parable  f)f  the  k'm-^  who  forgave  his  serv- 
ant, being  moved  with  compassion;  and  the  serv- 
ant in  turn  taking  liis  fellow  servant  wlio  owed 
him,  by  the  throat  says,  "Pay  wliat  tliouowost." 
He  refused  all  pleas  and  cast  his  fellow-servant 
into  pri.son.  Then  the  king  said,  '•  Tliou  wicked 
s'^rvant.  I  forgave  tliee  all  that  d(>bt  because  thou 
bescnightest  me;  shouldst  not  thou  also  have  had 
mercy  on  thy  fellow-servant,  even  as  I  had  mercy 
on  thee?"  The  servant  is  delivered  to  the  tor- 
mentors and  Jesus  adds,  '-So  (-hall  my  Heavenly 
Father  do  unto  you  if  ye  forgive  not  every  one 
his  brother  frotn  yonr  /wnts.  This  spiteful 
spirit  may  not  come  out  in  words  or  deeds,  but  it 
is  in  tlie  man  and  to  be  a  Christian  implies  its 
banishment. 

A  young  man  wlio  was  near  death  professed  to 
give  himself  to  Christ.  He  had  been  an  avowed 
infidel.     One  morning  he  said,  "O,  I  trust  I  am 


4 
I 


I 


I 


1 , 


777 i-;   CAI.\Lll'J-] 


35 


suvfil,  hut  the  slightest  mistake  my  w  i IV  makes 
in  animnii,,r  my  j/ijiows  or  aiiytliiiig  else  ab  )ut 
iny  ic<,m  makismcsoangi'y."  Wlicii  told  tliul  lio 
iiiiif.l  not  sjxai;  iiasljly  to  liis  yoiiii;^-  wil'c,  for  it 
iiii-lil  n-rievi'  luTsadly  in  alter  yr;irs.  lie  said  ••! 
doiiol  say  anything,  but  1  feel  i(.  1  I'cel  it."  What  is 
an  cNiircssion  oi'  Iicutcd  an<rcr  but  Ibc  i'iui)lu:..isof 
tiiis  xicious  spirit,  made  notiecabic  liy  soniospoc- 
«  ial  st  rate<j;-y  of  tiic  enemy. 

f).      Tlie  natural  man  is  jealous.     TTow  the  fol- 
ic,wir.j;'  words  burn  into  our  reelin;i;s  as   we   write, 
tl;'!!i,    "I'ilate    knew     that    for    envy    the    chief 
priests  had    delivered    Christ    up."      ]\latt.  x.wii: 
IS.      I'aul  says,    "Whereas    tluM'e  is  amono;  you 
jealousy  and  st  life;  are  y(>  not  ciirnal  and  walk  af- 
ter the  inanie-r  of  men."   Now,  marlc  you,  hiMhics 
not  say  after  the  ni;nnu'r  of  Satan,   but  luen.  uat- 
lu'al  men.     .Tealousy   and  slrifo  arc  almost  livin<>- 
form.s.     You  can  a.lmost  pliotoo-i-aph  thein.   Wlien 
two  j)eoplo  are  under  the  influenec  of  either  the 
one  or  the  other  of  these  viees,  it   is  as  if  a  liiird 
l)erson  of  hideous   appearance  and  hellish  ehar- 
aeter  sat  in  the  same  room  with  them.      You  ean 
almost  sec  the  finger  in  the  mouth,  and 'hear  the 
defiaiit  elap  of  the  foot  upon   the  floor,  and  thi.s 
uwful  power  so  common  to  the  natural  man  is  all 
but  ;..'.  visible  spirit,  is  the  Cain-spirit.      On   its 
account   Christ   was   delivered  up.      Is  there  no 
sacred  place  on  earth,  no  lovely  order,  no  pi-ec- 


I 


so 


OCT  OF  run  cms-lifj: 


ious  aim,  no  holy  shriiic  on  pardi,  wlu'i-c  Salan 
will  not  dar(>  inlriido  with  Ihis  awful  spirit  ? 

In  "jfiTat  clinrch  ass'-mlilics,  uinid  llio  cily  mi.s- 
sionarit'S  and  v\vi\  the  forcij^n  missionaries,  Ijy  1h(> 
rolTins  of  tho  cload,  and  close  to  the  cross  of  the 
Son  of  (lod,  m;Mi  will  deliale  who  shall  he  iircatcst. 
And  if  these  things  do  occur  in  places  of  such 
sacred  vows  and  noble  ambitions,  wlio  but  the 
Son  of  God  would  b(>  strong  enough  to  endure  for 
one  moment  the  av/fu'  disharmony  of  the  multi- 
tudes who  willfully  reject  the  way  of  love  and  life. 
The  riatural  man  is  anti-Christian.  "If  I  were 
still  pleasing  men,  I  would  not  be  the  servant  of 
Christ." 

We  may  well  tremble  with  eagerness  to  have 
hitroduced  to  the  soul's  vision  Christ's  estimate 
of  man's  relalitui  to  his  fellows,  bearing  in  mind 
meanwhile  that  the  measui-e  of  the  stature  of 
Christ  is  perfect  manhood.  And  if  man  may 
roadily  learn  truth  by  contrast,  then  surely 
Jesus  presents  an  overwhelming  claim  for  his 
study.  We  seem  to  forget  what  a  revelation  in 
thinking  and  in  estimatin^;  character  Jesus 
wrought  during  his  brief  ministry  on  this  earth 
in  the  flesh.  He  is  the  Man  from  above;  the 
second  Adam,  the  Life,  the  Way.  Men  did  not 
rush  to  him  in  allegiance.  They  questioned,  they 
argued,  they    started   and   withdrew  again;  they 


» 


« 


run  cms- life 


27 


prayed  ami  dcspisod  ufi;ain;lnit  Ihocoiitnisl  made 
evident  the  Christ  as  the  ideal  num. 

If  a  considerate  father  eould  find  a  perfeet  man 
who  was  willing  to  live  with  his  boy,  to  instruct 
him  and  to  insj-ire  him,  and  to  call  his  son  up  in 
fellowshij)  with  himself,  think  you  that  he  would 
not  bo  willing  to  undergo  any  kind  or  degree  of 
hardship  or  sacrifice  to  have  that  son  under  the 
influence  of  such  a  man.  But  the  perfect  man 
has  appeared,  and  we  arc  welcome  not  only  to 
his  influence  but  to  his  life,  his  thrill,  himself. 

To  be  Christly  is  to  be  a  num.  Only  in  so  far 
as  we  fill  out  this  ideal  in  our  characters  have  we 
regained  true  manhood. 

Trace  along  those  drooping  arms  of  Cain,  the 
warping  of  human  influence,  radically  in  contrast 
with   the  Christian   ideal   for   "the   Lord   taketh 
pleasure   in  his  people:"'  and   the   only  way  by 
which  you  or  I  can  serve  the  Lord  is  by  using  the 
life  he  imparts  to  us,  in  the  service  of  humanity. 
My  praises  will  never  glorify  God  except  they 
come  from  a  heart  eager  also  to  glorify  humanity. 
My  prayers  can   not   ascend   acceptably    to  the 
Father  in  Heaven  unless  they  carry  in, their  em- 
brace my  brother  upon  earth.     There  is  not  an 
"I"  or  a^j^imej;  px_a  'Jmj''   in  all  the  Lord's 
Prayer— it  Is  all  \'our'' and  i'us '^ai^d  i'thcy.J' 
In  the  condemnation  pronounced  against  the  rich 
man  there  is  no  declaration  of  any  other  wrong  in 


98 


orr  or  riii:  (.\i\  life 


::  I 


liislilV'  cxrcptiii';  Hint  lie  did  not  |ir(i\i(li' for  r.iiz-'^ 
anis.  liis    ponr  Id'ollicr.      He    fai-cd   siiiii|)|  iimisly 
cvci'y  day,  ln'  was  clnilicd  'm  (•i,li  a|ii);!rcl,  and  lie 
witldifld  Iirl|t  Irniii  llir  |)0(ir  iiiaii  laid  al  liis  ;;a(('. 
Tliat    licli  man  cnuld  not   iiossihly  lind  any  otlit'i' 
way  to  s('rs(>  (iod  but  l)y  st-rvln;^  liii/.ui'us.      Tiaz- 
ariis  liad   hpcn  laid  at   Ids  j^atc;  he  was   the  very 
I'liibddiiuciit  ol'  need,      (lodcduld  liavc  fi'd  hiin  as 
in  tlic   rase  of   Klijali  hy  (Miiployinn-   ra\t>us.  hut 
tiic  I'icli  man  was  tlic  ])ro|H'i' instrument  lurCiod's 
use   ill  tins  oviMit,    just  as  [•iiili|)  the   Hvan;j;t'list 
was   till'  jM'oiK'r  inslritmcnt    fin'   (iud's    u..,    wlicn 
tlic  l']tliioj)iaii  (Munuli   ui'rdcd  \fv\-  jilain   instinic- 
tion  cniircriiin^' till'  way  of   Tjil'c      Ji'sus  wascvcr 
(■in|)liasi,;in;;-  lids  up.m  tlic  atl^'nti.tn  of  lln-  iicoiijc 
in  liis  Wdi-ds  and  in  liis  practiics.      Talii'  llmsi'  it-_ 
maiKalilc  sayini';-;  of  Ids  utttucd  on  tlu'  moiintain- 
sidc.       1  am  ^^lad  we  do  not  have  to  call  tlicin  sci'- 
iiiiiiu;,  l)ciau>c  wc  arc  so  apt  to  iill  in  tlic  tlioiiji^'lit 
with  certain  p/culiai'  iiiti'r|)i'cta1  ions  of  the  occa- 
sion  when  wc  thiiili   of  scinions.      Tli.'y  must  be 
about   so  loiiff  and  so  d<s  p,  and  so    thin  and  so 
thick.      The  inolhod   of    prejjaration,   method   or 
quality  of  n'ception  must  all  bo  reckoned  into  tlio 
ostimute,    before   we  can    tell   whether   they   are 
good  sermons  or  not.      Iiut  Jesus  did  not  call  this 
wonderful  mountain-side   deliverenoe  a   sermon 
'•These  sayings   of  mine" — just  a  saying,   y(ju 
know,  some  truth  told  so  that  you   arc  captured 


sly 
lu' 

lie. 
Imm' 

•I'V 
as 
)iit 
(I's 
isl 

U'll 

llc- 
,•('1' 

,,1.. 

!■('-_ 

ill- 

'!•- 

;lit 
■a- 
bc 

HU 

or 

llL' 

re 

lis 

11 

;iu 

L>C1 


TIIK  (wix-liff: 


sit 


Ity  tlic  liutli  mtlKT  lliuii  tlu,'  (I'llinjr.     Tho  jewel 
appears  more  proinineiit  tliaii  the  settiii;r. 

Ill  these  wonderful  sayings  Jesus  touehos  ton 
speeitie   duties   toward   man,  every  one  of  wliieh 
iinpli,.s    great    gentleness,  and    tenderness,    and 
love.   Only  onee  in  all  these  sayings  does  he  warn 
us  against  humanity.       lioro  it    is,  "  He  ware  of 
false    piopiiets."     As  if   to   say,    Iceep  in    touch 
withtJod,  do  not    let  man  sido-traek  you,    serve 
man  but  do  not  follow  man,  follow  God.     Do  not 
demand   of    him,  make  no   elaims   against  Iiini. 
but  help  him.     How  prominently  this  is  seen    in 
the     wording      of      the     Golden      Hule,      "All 
things  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do 
to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to    them;"  not  demand  of 
them,  but  do  to  them.     Ah,  yes,  surely  thisi:   the 
way  of  life,  that  we  should   "by  love   .serve  one 
another."  Again  in  that  wonderful  summing  upof 
affairs  in  the  2r)th  Chapter  of  the  Gospel  of  Mat- 
thew the  justitieation  of  those  on  the  right  hand 
is  based  upon  what  they  did  for  their  fellows,  and 
the  condemnation   of  those  on    the  left  hand  is 
based  upon  what  they  did  not  do  when  tjicir  fel- 
lows  were     in   need  of  help.       Here    were    the 
hungry,  the   sick,  the  prisoners,  the    strangers; 
the  one  "fed"  and   "visited"  and    "gone  unto"' 
and  "taken  in;  "the  other  clas.s,  "fed  not"  "gone 
not   unto,"  "visited  not"    and  "taken  not    in.' 
Now  right   here   Jesus  gives    the   great    reason 


3 


-Om 


30 


orr  OF  riih:  cAiyi.iyn 


I 


which  lios  deep  under  all  this  inttTprctafion  of 
Christianity,  wlicn  lie  says,  •' Iiiasnuich  as  ycdid 
It  vnito  one  of  tlic  loast  of  tlicsc  ye  did  it  unto 
mo,"  or  again,  "Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  unto 
one  of  the  least  of  these  ye  did  it  not  unto 
me,"  Christ  has  identified  liiinseif  willi  hu- 
manity, born  in  liuman  flesli,  associated  witli  hu- 
man company,  is;oin^  over  tlie  human  patli  of 
deatii,  calliii<,'  Iiimseif  tlie  Son  of  Man  aiul  saying 
that  his  children  are  to  l)e  in  liim  as  lit>  is  in  tlio 
Fother.  Hence  when  I  come  to  serve  Clwist  I 
must  loolt  aiiout  me  to  (Ind  him.  Tlien  he  says  to 
mc,  "Hero  I  am,  and  iiere,and  here  also."  This 
man  is  sick,  tliis  man  wayward,  this  poor,  hero  is 
anotlicr  child  of  want,  hero  is  your  enemy, 
yonder  is  tho  wild-hearted  woman,  here  is  the" 
vicious  criminal,  again  there  is  tlie  degraded  na- 
ture where  scarc(<ly  an  expression  of  the  divine 
remains  to  identify  it  with  the  Christ,  here  the 
poor,  drivcllin}-  fetish-worshipper.  "Would  you 
serve  me"  Jesus  ^.ays,  "then  find  me  among  these. " 
Thus  Mrs.  J.  Fowler  Willing,  speaking  of  poor 
girls  and  boys  who  arc  employed  in  the  cigarette 
factories  of  New  York,  says,  "The  really  pathetic 
part  of  the  case  is  the  fact  that  Christ  wanders 
alone  and  uncared  for  through  the  streets." 

There  is  that  wonderful  expression  of  godliness 
written  in  the  loth  Chapter  of  1st  Corinthians. 
Look  at  how  Paul  undertakes  to  analyze  the  un- 


THE  <'Al\-IJFK 


31 


I 


failin;f  ;ri-aco   of  loviv      lly  fur  (he  j^n-iitcr   frac- 
tion of  the  analysis  is  ^ivcii  in  expressions  which 
refer  to  duty  to  man.      And  no  wonder,  wlien  wo 
recall  the  basis   upon  wliicli   tliis  inun's  Cliristly- 
life   was   built.      He  never   used  tlie   lar^re   word 
hunianitarianisni,  i)ul  lie  was  a  conscious  phon- 
ograph ut  (ering  the  short  word  Christ.      The  word 
altruism  did  not  find  a  place  in  his  writings,  but 
«hc    words    sacrifice,    debtor,    bond-servant   and 
brother,  did.      Harken,    ■•  I    am    debtor   l)otii    to 
Greel<s  and  to   Rarl)arians,  both  to   tlie  wise  and 
to  the  foolish."     And  when  Paul  spoi^e  of  del)ts,  it 
was  with  no  dislionorable  ..pathy.      lie  m(>ant  to 
undertake  to  pay.     And  our  debts  are  no  less  tiian 
his. 

The  Epistle  of  James  talks  in  th(>  plainest  t<>rms 
of  rebuke  against  the  rich  who  despise  the  poor. 
Peter,  in  liis  Epistle,  bids  us  rejoice,  "inas- 
much as  we  are  partakers  of  Christ's  sutTerini's," 
and  adds  his  teacliings  concerning  the  duties  of 
individuals  to  each  other  in  the  liome.  The  Epis- 
tle of  Jude  tells  us  to  ".save  men  with  fear,  pull- 
ing them  out  of  the  fire." 

And  John  in  the  great  Revelation  seems  to  be 
shouting  down  the  centuries  the  very  essential  of 
the  Gospel,  when  he  says,  "  Let  him  that  heareth 
say  come;"  while  his  p]pistles  with  strongest  terms 
of  expression  teach  that  no  man  can  love  God 
unless  he  love  his    brother  also.     Here,  then,  is 


"  ^-t 


32 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIX-LIFE 


the  field  of  Christian  servici',  wide  as  the  human 
race.  Yes,  wide  as  tlie  human  race.  There  is 
no  color  line,  no  sex  line,  no  caste,  no  grade  here; 
neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  neither  male  nor  female, 
neither  bond  nor  f.-ec.  With  this  interpretation 
of  humanity,  the  most  elite  person  can  recognize 
without  a  shudder  of  recoiling  how  perfectly  ap- 
propriate it  was  for  Delia,  called  ••the  Blue  Bird  ' 
of  that  wretched  ante-room  of  hell  in  her  day. 
Mulberry  Bend,  to  subscribe  herself,  when  writ- 
ing to  Mrs.  Whittemore,  who  was  God's  angel  of 
deliverance  to  her,  "your  own  daughter  in 
Christ,"  or  for  Ananias  to  address  Saul  of  Tarsus 
in  holy  gentlemanliness,    '•Brother  Saul." 

A  little  while  ago  I  said  that  Jesus  had 
identified  himself  with  humanity  and  that  when 
we  wish  to  serve  man  he  would  point  to  human 
needs  and  say,  "Here  I  am."  But  how?  If 
I  should  undertake  to  serve  humanity,  as  a 
natural  man  it  would  be  impossible.  I  have 
not  the  purchase  power.  We  have  seen  that  the 
natural  man  is  positively  opposed  to  the  spirit  of 
service,  but  in  Jesus  the  spirit  of  service  becomes 
my  very  life  then  seeing  humanity  in  Jesus, 
service  of  the  lowest  or  the  meanest  becomes  a 
privilege  of  rarest  worth.  Now  mark  thp^t  fact, 
we  can  not  naturally  serve  humanity.  We  can 
not  begin  to  pay  the  indebtedness.  True  benefi- 
cence would  never  l)egin  until  our  debt  is  paid. 


It 


'  '^ 


THK   VA  IN-LIFE 


83 


till'  human 
There  is 
rrade  hei'o; 
lor  female, 
?rpretati()n 

I  recognize 
Tfectly  ap- 
['.lueBiril' 

II  hei-  day. 
when  writ- 
I's  angel  of 
lughter  in 
1  of  Tai'sus 
111." 
Jesus    had 

that  when 
t  to  human 

how?  If 
nity,    as  a 

e.  I  have 
Ml  that  the 
he  spirit  of 
ce  becomes 
f  in  Jesus, 

becomes  a 
k  thp.t  fact, 

f.  We  can 
rrue  benefi- 
obt  is  paid, 


I 


V 

ii 


1! 


i 


and  more,  we  have  not  the  moral  grip  to  be 
true  servants  of  humanity,  we  have  not  the 
moral  life,  we  liave  not  the  moral  caste  or  tone 
or  flavor.  It  is  not  in  us,  Much  that  is  com- 
mendable has  been  given  to  us,  perliaps  through 
Christian  parentage  or  excellent  Influence  in  our 
childhood  days.  But  you  might  as  well  under- 
take to  lift  yourself  up  by  the  laces  of  your  shoes 
as  to  undertake  to  serve  humanity  without 
a  Christly  enthusiasm.  O,  identify  your.self  with 
Christ  and  get  the  purchase  power  which  shall 
lift  you,  and  thiough  you  a  multitude  of  others 
to  the  very  heart  of  eternal  goodness.  There 
are  not  wanting  approaches  to  this  kind  of  char- 
acter in  men  who  make  no  profession  as  followers 
of  Christ.  Recently  there  has  died  a  Jew  whose 
gifts  of  large  sums  of  money  drawn  from  abnor. 
mally  large  sums  in  his  possession  have  caused  his 
name  to  be  upon  many  lips  and  printed  with 
many  types.  ^Lnd  we  do  well  to  recognize  that 
which  might  be  substituted  by  something  worse 
in  any  man,  but  liere  is  the  very  difficvdty;  right 
here  you  may,  if  you  will  hear  the  bells  of  warn- 
ing ringing  all  up  and  down  our  days  and  nights, 
humanity  does  not  want  the  gold  of  other  men, 
it  wants  humanity.  Not  it,  but  them.  Rusted 
steel  looks  like  gold  when  lying  in  the  sun  at 
a  distance,  so  do  the  gifts  of  men  look  like 
charity.      Of     course    there    are    not    wanting 


34 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIX-LIFE 


I 


I 


those   who   will    lako  the   gold,    and   ovi'ii   ihosi. 
who  would  demand  it  by  force,  but  this  is  rathci- 
the  expression  of  a  diseased  appetite.     We  kuow 
that  an  indi-'gence  of  this  will  never  save  human- 
ity.  .   Man   must   give    liimself    to  his    fellows. 
"  Brethren,   if  Clirist  laid  down  his  life  for  us, 
we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  one  another," 
and  let  us  not  bo,  content  to  endorse  the  general 
programme  which  implies  that    we   are  to  give 
ourselves  to    humanity    in    Christ,    but    let   us 
be   willing  to  put  brain   into  the   problems  and 
sweat   into  the   toils,    let   us    gladly   contribute 
all  our  nerves  to  be  burnt  out  in  toil,  that  hearts 
may  bo  warmed  at  their  very  fires  as  they  burn. 
Let  us  undertake  a  life-long  effort,  having  the 
yoke  of  Christ  upon  us  as  if  wc  were  bj.en  and 
would  plow  from  East  to  West  and  from  West  to 
East   furrow   after   furrow    until    every    thistle 
and  briar  in  all  the  fallow  field  of  human  discord 
has  been  buried  deep  iu  death. 


I 


1 


(I 


ovi'ii  those 
lis  is  rather 
We  kuow 
iuve  humau- 
lis    fellows. 

life  for  us, 
le  another," 
the  general 
are  to  give 
but  let  us 
■oblems  and 
contribute 

that  hearts 
I  they  burn. 

having  the 
re  oj.en  and 
rom  West  to 
very  thistle 
man  discord 


l'> 


I 


THE  COMMON  LOT. 


s  i 


"  Tho  world  has  been  claimed  by  men.  It  has  always 
been  the  dri'aiu  of  thogi'cat  cijnquerors  that  they  might 
bind  men  together  by  a  jirinciple  of  unity;  but  tho  very 
''act  that  man  couUl  bo  willing  to  conquer  his  fellows 
has  itself  been  tho  unsi.  ■  oun table  obstacle  in  tho  way 
of  their  auccoss.  As  tho  divine  principle  of  triumph  re- 
vealed in  Christ  is  self-surrender  to  tho  law  of  love,  vic- 
tory can  come  only  through  sacrifice.  " 

IJ.  Fay  Miixs. 

Wc  are  members  one  of  (mother. 
Ephesians  iv:  35. 

"Obviously  in  Clirisfs  conception,  to  servo  men  is  to 
serve  llim.  IJut  this  is  not  the  common  concci)tion;  wo 
talk  of  '  divine  service '  as  if  it  meant  only  prayer  and 
praise  and  tho  hearin?'  of  sermons.  Visiting  tho  father- 
less and  widows  in  their  affliction  wo  call  philanthropy, 
and  keepin'j'  one's  self  unspotted  from  tho  world  we 
would  probably  call  morality;  but  St.  James  says  that 
these  things  aro  reli{il(m,  '  pure  and  undefiled  before 
(lod.'  Pure  religion  is  philanthropic  and  true  philan- 
thropy is  religious,  and  to  divorce  llio  one  from  the 
other  is  to  libel  and  cripple  both."      .Tos'aii  Stro.vg. 

"  This  learned  I  from  the  shadow  of  a  tree 
That  to  and  fro  did  swiiy  upon  tlje  wall; 

Our  shadow  selve.s — our  influence — may  fall 
Whore  we  can  never  be." 


has  always 
they  might 
lit  the  very 
his  fellows 
in  the  way 
triumph  ro- 
jf  love,  vic- 

Y  Mills. 


p  men  is  to 
;('l)tion;  wo 
praj'or  and 

the  fathor- 
ilanthropy, 
3  world  wo 
?s  says  that 
Bled  before 
true  philan- 
3   from   the 

Stuong. 

treo 
all; 
y  fall 


i 


THE  COMMON  LOT. 

/'^  iVK.N  tlio  Christly  spirit  of  sfM-vioo  and  we  are 
^-*  not  without  equipment  as  real  lie.persof  our 
fellows.  God  has  given  to  us  that  groat  power  of 
influence  always  at  hand,  nicn-e  subtle  than 
electricity,  more  searching  than  tlie  X-rays,  and 
giving  color  to  otlier  people's  characlei-s  like  the 
morning  sun  to  the  clouds  which  skirt  the  dawn. 
The  fool  has  inlluencc,  and  the  wise  man  can  not 
live  without  shaping  other  men's  characteis. 
Silence  will  intluence,  so  will  words.  What  the 
flavor  is  to  the  orange,  what  the  color  is  to  the 
milk,  what  the  tone  is  to  the  bell,  that  in  char- 
acter is  an  awful  might  for  good  or  bad.  It  is 
not  so  much  what  we  say  as  how  we  say  it;  't  is 
not  so  much  what  we  do  as  how  we  do  it. 

A  friend  of  mine  who  is  to-day  a  pi'eacher  of 
the  Gospel  sat  in  a  pewdurii'.g  a  religious  service 
when  he  was  a  boy,  and  when  ihe  preacher  had 
given  an  invitation  for  all  those  who  desired  to 
become  Christians  to  draw  near  to  the  pulpit, 
my  friend  resisted,  stoutly  clinging  to  his  Cain- 
life,  until  a  little  cripple,  using  a  crutch  under 
each  arm,    made  his  way  to ,  the  aisle  and  toil- 


'tJ-^ 


S8 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIK-LIFE 


I 


sdiiioly  to  till' 111  tar  niiliiii;  This  brnki' t  ho  Cain- 
spirit  in  my  frirnd.  He  said:  "I  could  not 
stand  it  to  see  that  cripple  hobble  up  the  aisle,  I 
had  to  go.  I  gave  myself  to  Christ  that  night, 
and  the  influence  of  the  cripple  saved  me. "  Christ 
said  that  virtue  had  gone  out  of  him  when  the 
afflicted  woman  was  healed,  and  Benjamin  Wilson 
in  his  translation  renders  it  "  He  perceived  that  a 
power  had  gone  out  of  him  "  If  that  power  but 
reaches  into  the  sphere  of  influence  which  you 
ai.'l  I  continuously  carry  with  us,  then  it  will  in- 
deed be  honest  for  us  to  say  with  Paul,  "For  me 
to  live  is  Christ."  Our  Christ  does  not  discount 
the  marvelous  sweep  of  influence  in  little  chil- 
dren. The  quality  of  the  child-life  is  so  reliant 
and  at  its  best  so  guileless!  We  all  knoV  how 
often  it  is  said  the  little  babe  rules  the  house- 
hold. What  multitudes  of  adults  have  entered 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  through  some  sweet  re- 
quests or  touching  utterances  of  children. 

"  How  often  as  wo  crowd  alonp  in  life's  on-rushing  mart, 
A  little  seed  from  cliildish   lips  finds  lodgement  in  the 

heai  \ 
And  there  takes  root  and  flourishes  in  memory's  living 

bower, 
Until  it  seems  a  sertion  of  the  most  convincing  power. 

But  yesterday  while  grumbling  at  the  slow  descending 

rain. 
All  \  inwardly  condemning  it,  again  and  yet  again. 
A  baby  sitting  by  my  side  remarked  in  accents  low, 
"  You    shouldn't  scold  it    that  way,    for    rain   make<» 

flowers  grow." 


f 


^ 


..J.U.-  „ 


Tilt:  COMMOX  LOT 


3d 


tlio  Cain- 
?ould  not 
;ie  aisle,  I 
lat  night, 
."  Christ 
when  the 
in  Wilson 
^ed  that  a 
)o\vcr  but 
t'hich  you 
it  will  in- 
' '  For  me 

discount 
ittle  chil- 
so  reliant 
ino'w  how 
lie  house- 
e  entered 

sweet  re- 
E>n. 

ihing  mart, 
acnt  in  the 

ory's  living 

;ing  power. 

descending 

again. 
its  low, 
ain  makef> 


And  when  God  proposed  to  iipsel  the  throne 
of  the  Ca-sui's  and  bring  in  a  vietory  to  humanity, 
no  more  jua-feet  eoneeption  of  how  to  aeeomplish 
it  could  be  suggested  than  there  should  be  a  babe 
born  in  a  manger. 

Ah,  it  is  not  a  question  of  age  or  of  social 
standing  or  even  of  evperienee:  let  us  stand 
aghast  in  the  presence  of  the  truth,  our  common 
influence  over  each  other  is  liki'  the  ceaseless 
reigning  of  a  miracle.  Benjamin  West  drew  the 
picture  of  the  baby  in  the  cradle,  on  the  clean 
floor  of  his  mother's  kitchen.  His  mother, 
coming  in,  saw  the  picture  and  the  coal  dust  on 
the  floor,  which  had  been  very  recently  scrubbed. 
Taking  little  Benjamin  up  in  her  arms,  she 
kissed  him  affectionately.  In  after  years 
Benjamin  West  said,  "My  mother's  kiss 
made  me  an  artist."  In  one  of  our  Western 
cities  fire  broke  out  in  a  large  school  building. 
One  of  the  boys  who  had  been  accustomed  to  beat 
the  drum  while  the  children  marched  for  exer- 
cises, with  presence  of  mind  which  would  have 
been  quite  wonderful  for  a  man  of  years,  ran  for 
his  drum,  took  his  stand  in  the'liall-room  and  be- 
gan beating  it,  that  the  children  might  march 
down  and  out  of  the  building  in  order,  averting 
»  stampede.  What  that  boy's  drum  was  to  the 
needs  of  those  schoolmates  of  his,  our  very  ap- 
pearance may  be  in  its  influence  upon  those  who 


#r 


m 


40 


our  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


\ 


Uj^' 


moot  us;  orderly  iium-hos  or  stamiM'dfs  iii'c  iicilhor 
of  them  so  inucli  i)nKluc'i'(1  by  {^rcut  s|kh'i'1u's  as 
by  silont  influoncos.  No  amount  of  arrangomcnt 
will  rt'fhton  up  dinicultios  when  tlio  tono  of  ulTuirs 
is  wroiiff.  Tlio  Clirist-spirit,  the  Christ- savour, 
must  su])j)lant  llio  Caiu-spirit. 

Ono  niif^ht  have  thought  that  our  common  iu- 
horitancc"  to  troublo  would  havo  made  us,  lonnj 
a<fo,  more  cautious  about  our  trcalmout  of  each 
other,  for  trouble  is  such  a  mighty  leveler.  Meu 
who  have  been  the  most  distant  toward  each 
other,  and  the  most  individual  in  their  conceptions 
of  life  have  had  the  diflidcnce  of  their  souls  broken 

\        up  in  less  than  an  hour  by  a  shipwreck  or  a  fiie. 

'^  Some  years  ago  while  journeying  up  one  of  the 
great  canyons  of  Colorado  a  passenger  train  was 
wrecked.  The  tender  was  detached  from  the  en- 
/  gine  and  run  into  the  gulch,  the  baggage  car  was 
turned  on  its  roof  over  the  precipice,  the  track 
was  torn  up,  the  ends  of  the  coaches  broken  in, 
the  water  tanks  bursted,  and  the  lamps  thrown 
here  and  there.  Two  men  were  in  the  baggage 
car,  many  passengers  were  in  the  coaches.  In- 
stantly all  was  confusion  and  haste.  After  the 
two  men  had  been  taken  from  the  baggage  car 
alive,  and  the  passengers  were  given  positions  of 
as  great  comfort  as  could  be  provided  in  that 
place,  they  waited  in  great  eagerness  for  help. 
The  engine  without   Ihe  tender  had  been  run  up 


I 


THK  VOMMOX  LOT 


41 


Ihe  ciiiiydii  a  few  luilos,  furryiiig  sdiiic  iikmi  to 
tc'lcgrin)),  f''"'"  ^'"'  loiH'ly  litlli'  iiiounliiiii-caiiyon 
depot,  to  the  city  in  the  distance  for  hcli).  Tint 
it  was  oiglit  long  iiours  i)efore  they  could  move 
away  from  that  desi.l  stoijping-phue.  The 
wreck  had  occurred  .ily  before  noon  and  all 
were  hungry.  That  morning  one  of  tlie  tourists 
had  laken  the  preiaulion  to  provide  a  small 
luncheon  in  a  pa])er  sack,  thinking  i)erhaps  that 
tiuis  equipiK'd  he  niiglit  be  able  to  climb  higlicr 
up  the  mountain-sides  and  lake  in  vaster  sweeps 
of  the  scenery  during  the  day.  Well,  the  wreck 
had  occurred  and  here  were  the  passengers  vitling 
in  little  groups,  or  walking  up  and  down.  Soon 
the  storm  swept  down  the  canyon;  it  rained,  it 
snowed,  it  blew,  it  thundered  and  lightened,  but 
the  travelers  were  all  friends.  It  seeraed  as  if 
they  had  all  gone  to  school  together,  cicli  was 
ready  to  converse  with  the  other,  and  during  this 
sweet  sway  of  social  courtesy  this  one  man  with 
the  little  paper  sack  of  luncheon  was  distributing 
the  footl  among  more  than  a  dozen  people.  The 
first  to  receive  a  part  of  the  luncheon  was  a  poor 
Swedish  woman  whose  two  children  were  erying 
with  hunger,  next  were  two  women  wearing  costly 
garments  and  jewels  and  next  were  their  hus- 
bands. So  one  after  the  other  received  a  little 
portion,  sharing  in  homeliest  style  the  luncheon. 
Trouble  did   it.      I  do  not  say   that  they  should 


mm 


OI'T  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


havo  boon  so  five  in  convorsation  before  llio  wreck 
occurred  or  that  it  would  have  been  necessary  f(  r 
them  lo  have  taken  their  dinner  from  the  hands 
of  one  man,  a  stranf^'or,  but  T  do  say  that  there 
should  have  been  nothin}^  in  their  spirits  opposed 
to  all  this,  without  the  train-wreck. 

A-jjain,  our  common  inheritance  to  need  ouj^ht 
to  have  Inu-jht  us  to  fondle  dearly  every  moment 
of  inlluence  for  (he  good  of  our  fellow  men. 

^Vho  thai  has  read  James  Russell  T.f)W(>irs  w(m- 
derful  interpretation  of  the  power  of  need  over 
the  heart  in  "The  Vision  of  Sir  Launfal"  can  fail 
to  appreciate  more  than  ever  the  deep  lesson 
upon  the  power  of  common  need  in  Josus'  parable 
of  the  Good  Samaritan.  How  single  and  alone, 
how  rich  and  independent,  how  haughty  and 
heartless,  how  priest-like  and  Levile-likc  is  Sir 
Liiunful  that  morning  as  the  leper  by  the  gate  re- 
quests an  alms. 

"This  man,  so  foul  and  lient  of  stature. 

Rasped  tiarslily  afrainst  his,  dainty  nature. 
And  soomod  the  one  t)lot  on  the  summer  morn,— 
So  ho  tossod  him  a  piece  of  gold  in  scorn. 

The  leper  raised  not  the  B</ld  from  the  dust: 

Hett<'r  to  mo  the  poor  man's  crust. 
Better  the  Idessing  of  the  poor. 

Though  I  turn  mo  empty  from  his  door; 
That  is  no  true  alms  which  the  hand  can  hold: 

Ho  gives  only  the  worthless  gold 


I 


.1 


rill-:  roMMox  lot 


43 


Who  gives  from  n  srnso  of  duty; 

Hut  ho  who  plvrs  but  a  Hlcndrr  mlplit, 
And  fflvos  to  that  wlilcli  is  out  of  sijfht 

That  thread  of  tho  all-sustainluff  Ix-auty 
Which  runs  Ihrouf^h  all  and  doth  all  unite— 

Tho  hand  can  not  clasp  the  who!''  of  his  alms. 
Tho  heart  outstretches  its  eaper  palms, 

For  a  ffod  poos  with  it  and  makes  it  store 
To  the  p  ul  that  was  Htarvinff  in  darkness  before." 

Timo  and  cireiinistanoo  Imvo  hold  tlicir  swiiy, 
and  now  SirLaunfiil  is  aj^ed  and  jxior.  His  soarcli 
for  the  Holy  (!rai'  was  a  failmv,  but  ho  has  fouiul 
a  heart  of  sympathy.  His  castle,  another  has 
taken  it,  but  his  soul — 

"Deep  In  his  soul  the  sign  ho  wore, 

Thehadpoof  tho  sulTeringand  the  poor." 

The  leper  is  found  near  the  laii^^hinff  spring 
and  again  requests  an  alms.  Now  Sir  Launfal 
says, 

••1  behold  in  thee  an  iniapeof  him  whodied  on  the  tree." 
»  »  »  «  *  »  # 

"IIo  parted  in  twain  his  single  crust, 

He  broke  the  ice  on  the  streainlefs  brink. 
And  gave  tho  leper  to  eat  and  drink." 
•  »  *  *  «  «  • 

•'The  voice  that  was  softer  than  silence  said, 

Lo  it  is  I,  bo  not  afraidi 
In  many  climes,  wHhout  avail. 

Thou  hast  spent  '.hy  life  for  tho  Holy  Grail; 
Behold,  it  is  here, — this  cup  which  thou 

Didst  fill  at  tho  streamlet  for  mo  but  now; 


44 


(HT  oi'  riiK  cAisi.iit: 


ThlH  crimt  In  ray  Ixxly  broken  for  thi«o, 

ThlH  w!»t<T  hiH  MiHiil  that  ilicd  on  tho  trco; 
Th«<  Holy  Supper  in  k<|)t  inilcid, 

Inwliiitso  wo  HliaiM'  with  nnoUior'8  nerd; 
Not  wliiit  wo  (jlvo,  lint  wli;it  W(>  sliuro. 

For  tho  fflft  without  tho  kIvit  Is  hare; 
Who  trlvoH  hltnsoU  wltli  hU  ftlins  foods  throo, 

Hlmsolf,  his  liunfforln},'  nolphbor,  and  mo." 

Common  noi-'l  (lul  it. 

We  nuvy  not  slii,'lit  tho  sick  to-duy,  our  iiood 
may  be  as  his  tn-iimiTow.  Tiie  poor,  we  may  not 
turn  tiiem  empty  away  to-day,  our  own  need  may 
bcseoeh  for  a  true  fiiend  to-morrow.  Yea,  and 
in  the  prcaenee  of  all  the  emitnist  between  the 
blessed  ideal  and  our  poor  present  experieiue 
may  wo  not  well  say.  My  needs  to-d  ly  bring 
into  full  life  a  liindred  feeling  witli  all  ti)e  needy 
race. 

So  now  li«>re  is  the  fpiestion.  Will  you  step 
out  of  the  Cain-life  into  the  Clirist-life?  Will 
you  out  of  the  love  of  God  serve  his  ereatures 
and  your  brethren?  Thus  be  the  channel  through 
which  the  Lord  of  Life  and  Tiove  may  make  his 
bounties  the  common  lot  of  the  multitude. 


"»  r 


THE  CHRIST  MIRACLE. 


V 


What  Think  Ye  of  Christ  ? 

Pharisees!  with  what  have  you  to  reproach  Jesus? 

"  II-^  eateth  with  publicans  and  sinners." 

"  Is  this  all?" 

"Yes." 

Pilate,  what  is  your  opinion? 

"I  find  no  fault  in  this  man." 

And  you,  Judas,  who  have  sold  your  Master  for  silver; 
have  you  some  fearful  charge  to  hurl  against  him? 

"  1  have  sinned  in  that  I  have  betrayed  the  innocent 
blood." 

And  you,  centurion  and  soldiers  who  led  him  to  the 
cross,  what  have  you  to  say  against  hiui? 

"  Tiui.v  TiKS  WAS  TiiK  SoN  OF  Uoi).      Matt,  xxvii:  54. 

And  you,  demons? 

"  He  is  the  Son  of  God." 

John  Baptist,  what  think  you  of  Christ? 

"  IJehoid  the  Lamb  of  God." 

And  you,  John? 

"  He  is  the  bright  and  morning  star." 

Peter,  what  say  you  of  your  Master? 

"  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God." 

Paul,  you  have  persecuted  him;  what  testify  you  of 
him? 

"  I  count  all  th'ngs  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus,  my  Lord." 

Angels  of  heaven,  what  think  yc  of  Jesus? 

"Unto  you  is  born  a  Saviour,   which  is  Christ  the 

Lord." 

A..d  thou,  Father  in  heaven,  who  knowest  all  things? 

"  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleasf  i." 

Beloved  reader,  what  think  you  of  Christ? 

—La  Lhz  (Madrid),  quoted  in  El  AhurincJo  ChrisUano 
lUui'rodo  (Mexico)  and  Missionary  Review  of  the  World 
(New  York). 


I 


V 


1  Jesus? 


T  for  silver; 

t  him? 

rVio  innocent 

him  to  tlio 

tt.  xxvii:  54. 


ig  God." 
stify  you  of 

lency  of  the 

(? 

s  Christ  the 

it  all  things? 

^ell  pleasf  i." 

,? 

7rt  Christkino 

of  the  Wurld 


T 


THE  CHRIST   MIRACLE. 

II K  greatest  minulo  of  all  the  ages  is  Jesus 
Christ  himself.  Every  miraele  which  Jesus 
performed  gives  evidence  of  being  intended  as  a 
means  of  opening  up  the  soul-vision  of  hunuinity 
that  we  might  recognize  him  as  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  Not  the  turnin"- 
of  the  water  into  wine,  not  the  eastinir  out  of 
devils,  and  not  the  raising  of  the  dead,  but  Jesus 
Christ  himself  is  the  miraele  of  miracles.  All 
other  marvels  at  best  are  incidental  to  thi.'-.,  and 
1  question  if  any  man  can  ealndy,  quietly  and 
without  bias  sit  down  and  consider  Jesus  Christ 
in  his  relation  to  history  and  to  humanity,  and  to 
his  own  claims,  without  being  convinced  of  the 
miracle  of  the  very  existence  of  one  born  among 
humanity  such  as  Jesus  the  Man  of  Galilee. 

In  a  recent  article  in  the  Nineteenth  Century, 
Mr.  Gladstone  says: 

"I  do  not  know  on  earth  a  move  blessed  sub- 
ject for  contemplation  than  that  which  I  should 
describe  as  follows:  Tliere  are.  it  nuiy  be,  upon 
earth  four  hundred  and  fifty  million  i)rofe.ssing 
Christians.  There  is  no  longer  one  fold  under 
one  visible  Shepherd,  and  the  majority  of  Christ- 


"»^ 


4« 


nrr  or  Tiit:  caixliff. 


ians  (such  as  I  lake  it  now  to  be,  tlioii^fh  tlio 
minority  is  a  large  one)  is  content  willi  its  one 
Shepherd  in  heaven  and  with  the  other  provisions 
he  has  made  on  ear-th.  His  flock  is  broken  up 
into  scores — it  may  be  hundreds — of  sections. 
These  sections  arc  not  at  peace  but  at  war.  But 
with  all  this  segregation,  and  not  only  division 
but  conflict,  of  minds  and  interests,  the  aniivver 
given  by  the  four  hundred  and  fifty  millions,  or 
by  those  who  are  best  entitled  to  speak  for 
them,  to  the  question,  'What  is  the  Gospel?'  is 
still  the  same.  With  conceptions  so  slight  that 
we  may  justly  set  them  out  of  the  reckoning,  the 
reply  is  still  the  same  as  it  was  in  the  apostolic 
age — the  central  truth  of  the  Gospel  lies  in  the 
trinity  and  the  incarnation,  in  tlie  God  that 
made  us  and  the  Saviour  that  redeemcKl  us. 
When  I  consider  what  human  nature  and  human 
history  have  been,  and  how  feeble  is  the  spirit  in 
its  warfare  with  the  flesh,  I  bow  my  head  in 
amazement   before    this    mighty  moral   miracle, 

\^  this  marvelous  occurrence  evolved  from  the  very 
heart  of  discord." 
Napoleon,  astounded  at  the  prevailing  interest 
of  humanity  in  Jesus,  exclaims,  -'Cicsar  is  dead 
and  forgotten,  Romulus  is  dead  and  forgotten, 
Alexander  is  dead  and  forgotten,  I  shall  soon 
be  dead  and  forgotten,  but  this  man  Jesus 
the  longer  he  is  dead   the   more  the   people  will 


: 


THE  CimiST  MIUAVLn 


49 


li  its  OIK" 
irovisions 
rokcMi  up 

sections. 
far.  But 
:  division 
e  answer 
illions,  or 
peuk  for 
DspelV  is 
light  tluit 
tning,  the 

apostolic 
ies  in  the 
Goci  that 
emed  us. 
nd  human 
2  spirit  in 
f  head  in 
miracle, 
1  the  very 

g  interest 
ir  is  dead 
forgotten, 
shall  soon 
man  Jesus 
jcople  will 


run  after  him.  I  tell  you  I  know  man.  1  have  mar- 
shalled man  on  many  a  battlefield,  but  Jesus  Christ 
is  more  than  man."  Why,  here  is  an  unanswer- 
able miracle.  Jesus  Christ  born  amid  most  humble 
surroundings,  the  poor  man  of  Nazareth,  his 
poverty  can  not  well  be  doubled.  He  said,  "  The 
foxes  have  holes  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have 
nests  but  the  Son  of  Man  hath  not  where  to  lay 
his  head."  He  sent  his  discij)]es  to  procure  tho 
money  for  tribute  from  the  mouth  of  a  fish.  He 
commended  Mary  his  mother  to  John  in  the  death 
hour,  Joseph  of  Arimatha^a  characterized  ar,  a  rich 
man  provided  the  tomb  for  his  body,  and  he  con- 
demned all  selfish  hoarding  of  goods.  Four  thous- 
and men  besides  women  ard  children  remain  with 
him  in  the  solitude  for  three  days  hungry,  then 
he  calls  his  disciples  unto  him  saying,  ''I  have 
compassion  on  the  multitude  because  they  con- 
tinue with  me  now  three  days  and  have  nothing 
to  eat  and  I  would  not  send  them  away  fasting 
lest  haply  they  faint  in  the  way. "  It  is  true  he 
wore  a  seamless  robe,  probably  a  present  from 
some  interested  follower.  It  is  true  there  was  a 
purse  held  in  the  apostolic  company,  but  there 
■was  never  sufficient  money  in  it  to  make  it  a 
matter  worth  the  record  that  any  was  left  over 
on  any  occasion,  including  the  occasion  of  the 
betrayal  cf  Jesus  by  Judas.  Jesus  Christ  stood 
in  a  wheat  field  and  shelled  his   dinner,  probably 


•  *i 


I  • 


i 


m 


OVT  OF  THE  CAIX-LIFK 


because  no  one  hud  invited  him  out.     It  is  a  phe- 
nomenon to  vead  of  him  riding  even  when  ho  hud 
the  use  of  a  borrowed  boat  or  a  borrowed  beast  of 
burden,  and  promptly  after  his  resurrection  finding 
some   of   his    disciples    fisliing  with   sad  hearts, 
he  says,  "Children,  have   you   any    meat?  "and 
after   directing    them    to  tlie  source   of   supplies 
says    to    them,  "Come   and    break    your   fust." 
Evidently  Jesus  Christ  was  a  poor  man.     He  who 
said,  "Go  tell  John  that  the    poor  have  the   gos- 
pel preached  unto  them,"  "Blessed  are   ye  poor, 
for  yours  is  the  l<ingdom  of   heaven,"  knew  what 
it  was  to   experience   what    the  poor   man   does, 
which  must  have  appeared    quite   a   new  and  as- 
tonishing  fact  to   tlie   formal  Jews  of    that   day. 
His  liands  were  empty  that  ho  might  fill  them  with 
gifts  of  grace  for  you  and   me,    his    hands   were 
bai'o  that  he  might  share  the  feeling  of  the  blasts 
with  you   and  me. 

"  Nay,  and  bo  ate  our  meats, 

And  drank  our  drinks,  and  wore  the  dross  wo  woro; 

And  his  hair  fluttered  in  the  broczo  which  stirred 
Voter's  and  John's  and  mine." 

Yet  this  poor  man  has  out-lived  all  millionaires 
and  all  castled  lords  unto  this  present  day. 
Cr'^^sus.  Who  knows  about  Croesus?  And  how 
much  is  known?  What  children  mention  his 
name?  What  public  addresses  or  lectures  are 
delivered  about  him?  Who  seeks  him  or  venerates 


^•w**,. 


THE  CHRIST  MIRACLE 


51 


is  a  phe- 
n  he  hud 

beast  of 
in  finding 
I  hearts, 
It?  "  and 

supplies 
ir  fust." 

He  who 
the   gos- 

ye  poor, 
lew  what 
an  does, 
V  and  as- 
hat  day. 
hem  with 
lids  were 
the  blasts 


vo  woro; 
stirred 

illionaires 
sent  day. 
And  how 
iition  his 
tures  are 
venerates 


him?  Whcie  is  h.;?  Tlie  castles  have  been  and 
an-  gone  and  tluir  rieh  inheritances  are  forgotten. 
But  Jesus  Christ,  the  homeless  teacher  of  men, 
lives  on  during  the  centuries  and  bids  fair  right 
speedily  to  outlive  all  the  wealth  and  possessions 
of  the  day  in  which  we  live. 

Look  at  the  miracle.  Jesus  Christ  was  never 
known  to  marshal  an  army.  There  is  not  a 
niilita. y  incident  in  his  programme  during  his 
stay  upon  earth.  He  did  not,  even  like  Chinese 
Gordon,  carry  a  cane,  as  he  led  forth  his  followers 
into  battle.  Bare-handed  he  gathered  the  com- 
panies together  with  the  charm  of  his  teaching 
and  of  his  love,  and  when  Peter  drew  forth  a 
sharp  instrument  of  some  kind  to  cut  off  the  ear 
of  Malchus,  he  quickly  healed  the  ear  and  said, 
' '  Thoy  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the 
sword,  and  if  my  kingdom  were  of  this  world 
then  would  my  followers  fight,  but  now  is  my 
kingdom  not  from  hence."  When  men  smote 
him  he  rebuked  them  not;  when  men  derided  and 
spat  upon  him  he  antagonized  them  not.  There  he 
stood  the  Prince  of  Peace,  without  a  sword,  with- 
out an  arrow,  without  an  army,  without  what  na- 
tions would  call  a  battle ;  yet  he  has  outlived  all 
the  generals  and  captains  of  ancient  Greece  and 
Rome  and  Phoenecia  and  Assyria  and  of  all  na- 
tions until  the  present  day,  and  continues  to  out- 
live them  as  the  days  come  and  go.     Stand  there 


orr  01-'  Tin:  cMX-Liri-: 


ill  I'liU'sliiic  iiiiiotc'tMi  liundivd  ycurs  iign  iiiul  Icll 
me  tliiit  Josiis  Clirist  will  outlivo  HiM'od.  How  I 
might  laugh  you  to  scorn.  But  who  knows 
Iloi'od  to-day?  And  who  does  not  know  Jesus 
Christ  as  a  marvelous  character  in  history  at 
least. 

Jesus  Christ  was  never  known  to  write  a  single 
book.     We  have  been  told  in  later  years  that  he 
may  have  at  least  dictated  one,    but  we  have   no 
sufficient  proof  that  he   ever  did.      Pie  does  not 
represent  himself  as  a  writer.      The  four  Gospels 
seem  to  be  studied  epitomes  of  inspired  simplicity 
about  him.     Yet  he  has  outlived  all  authors,  prose 
and  poetic,  during  his  days  and  all  preceding  days, 
and  continues  to  outlive  all  authors   between  his 
day  and  the  present.      Very  ancient  books  there 
are,  revered  by  benighted  peoples,  but  Jesus  right 
surely  wins  his  way  among  these,  he  will  not  let 
them  alone,  they  can  not  let  him  alone;  and  In  so- 
called  civilized  countries  you   will  find  ten  thou- 
sand little  boys  who  can  stand  up  upon  the  spur 
of  the  moment  and  tell  you  something  Jesus  said, 
while  perhaps  you  could  not  average  five  people 
in  a  company  of  ten   thousand  who  could  arise 
upon   the  spur  of  the   moment  and  quote  from 
Thales   or   Socrates    or     Plato    or    Aristotle   or 
Zenophon   or   Buddha   or    Pericles.       Much  has 
been  said  about  the  twenty-nine   autographs  of 
Christopher  Columbus,  not  including  some  mar- 


THE  ('///I'/.s'i'  MIliACLE 


M 


n  unci  IcU 
.  How  I 
lo  knows 
low  Jesus 
istory   at 

0  a  single 
's  that  he 

1  have  no 
(Iocs  not 

.ir  Gospels 
simplicity 
ors,  prose 
ling  clays, 
twecn  liis 
)oks  there 
esus  right 
ill  not  let 
;  and  In  so- 
tcn  thou- 
1  the  spur 
lesus  said, 
ive  people 
lould  arise 
note  from 
•istotle   or 
Much  has 
3graphs  of 
some  mar- 


I 


ginal  Holes  upon  the  pages  of  hooks.  We  display 
no  samples  of  the  handwriting  of  Jesus.  lie  out- 
lives Columbus  without  that.  As  he  was  sword- 
less  so  he  is  penless,  and  he  outlives  the  author  as 
he  does  the  soldier. 

Jesus  Christ  was  never  known  to  see  a  steam 
engine  or  a  railway  train  or  electric  appliances 
for  the  transit  of  mes.-iages  or  of  peoplt>  or  for 
lighting  up  the  cities,  yet  he  has  outlived  the 
discovei'ics  and  explorations  of  all  the  so-called 
new  countries  from  that  day  to  this;  the  steam- 
ships and  railway,  telephone,  the  telautograph, 
the  lineotype,  all  these  and  many  .aore  modern 
wonders.  Indeed, these  vary  inventions  are  brought 
into  requisition  to  carry  forth  his  plain  teachings, 
and  to  emphasize  his  deathless  character  upon 
the  attention  of  the  peoples.  Into  each  opening 
continent  and  island  of  the  sea;  he  presses  his 
way  while  the  waiting  people  trust  him  and  are 
glad. 

Jesus  Christ  has  a  grip  upon  the  heart  of  uni- 
versal mankind  and  it  will  not  let  go.  The  great, 
tender  and  consciously  mighty  interest  which  he 
showed  (and  is  still  showing)  has  captured  the 
race.  How  rich  he  might  have  become  had  he 
charged  but  a  penny  apiece  of  the  people  who 
flocked  to  hear  him  or  came  for  his  help.  He 
charged  nothing,  he  kept  giving,  He  is  the  hope 
of  the  peoples.     The  discontented  mob  of  laborers 


<w 


i'i 


orr  nr  run  cms  i.ivi: 


in  Ti'iiftil.ifiir  Si|i'uro  in   London,  wliile  iu-in;;  dis- 
iKTScd  I)}'  tlif  pdlico,  culU'd  out  with  entliusiusni, 
<'Tlii'i>o  clu'cis  foi-  Ji'siis   Christ."     Contend  iind 
oppose  as  yovi   may,  buried  deep  in  the  hearts  of 
tlie  eliildren  of  men  is   ihe  eonvietion  that  Jesus 
is  the  loni^-souglit  liope.      And  wlien   onec    men 
yield  tlieir  wills  to  tliis  ray  of  Christ's  own  light 
sliinin<?  witliin   them,  they  will   plight   tlieir  alle- 
glanci  to  him,  fearless  of  life  or  death. 
j    J,  .;us  Christ  could  not  have  been  an  impostor, 
bad  he  been  an  impostor,  how  quickly  he  would 
jhave  so\ij,dit  either  the  favor  of  the  Roman  Gov- 
jcrnment  or  of  the  Jewish  church.       He   sought 
neither.     As  to  the  government  he  said,      "The 


ings  of  this  world  exercise  lordship  over,  you, 
and  you  count  them  benefactors  who  exercise  lord- 
sliip  over  you;  but  it  shall  not  be  so  among  you, 
bul  he  that  would  be  great  among  you  !_'iall  be 
your  servant."  Did  they  not  accuse  him  of  being 
an  antagonist  to  Caisar?  As  for  the  pharisaical 
church  people  of  his  day,  he  said  of  them:  For 
a  pretense  you  make  long  prayers,  you  tithe  mint 
a:id  anise  and  cummin,  but  you  forget  to  practice 
mercy  and  truth.  He  conflicted  with  their  ideas 
of  the  Sabbath,  he  conflicted  with  their  ideas  of 
the  Old  Testament  prophecies,  and  for  envy  the 
chief  priests  delivered  him  up.  There  he  stood, 
no  government,  no  cliurch,  no  home,  no  following, 

uo  wealth,  no  fame,  doubted  and  feared,  scorned 


I-' 


Tin:  VllKIST  MIUAri.H 


sn 


'iii^f  dis- 
liusiasin, 
end  iind 
loarts  of 
lat  Josus 

lltL'     ITK'U 

wn  light 
lieir  allc- 

mpostor. 
ho  would 
nan  Gov- 
3  sought 
,  "The 
ver.  you, 
■else  lord- 
long  you, 
1  I'lall  be 
I  of  being 
liarisaical 
ni :  For 
ithc  mint 
3  practice 
leir  ideas 
r  ideas  of 
envy  the 
he  stood, 
"ollowing, 
1,  scorned 


and  despised,  yet  he  has  revolutionized  the  con- 
victions of  governnients  and  the  convictions  of 
churches  vnilil  they  trenil>l(>  with  fear  fm*  the 
future  iif  cither  as  they  murk  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  teachings  he  gave  anc.  their  conditions. 
Whose  favtu'  did  he  seek?  You  cannot  imagine 
from  any  authentic  record  of  Jesus  tluit  he  cajoled 
with  anybody.  He  came  to  save  and  he  kept  at 
that  business.  No  sign  of  a  plot,  p"  hint  at 
scheming,  openly,  out  and  out,  yet  mercifully  he 
did  the  deeds,  he  said  the  sayings.  No  imjiostorl 
Again,  Jesus  Christ  could  not  have  l)een  self- 
deceived.  How  conscious  of  his  position  he  ap- 
peared, how  authoritative  and  calm,  how  he  fits 
exactly  into  prophecy  at  least  2,000  years  old, 
how  at  shorter  range  by  some  1,400  years  Isaiah 
has  told  about  the  very  garments  he  would  wear 
and  the  sepulcher  into  which  his  body  should  be 
laid.  So  commonly  do  t)ie  occurrences  of  his  life 
fit  into  prophecy  that  Matthew  in  writing  the  rec- 
ord refers  twenty-six  times  at  least  to  prophetic 
utterances.  John  says,  after  quoting  from 
Isaiah,  "These  things  said  Isaiah  Jbecause  he  saw 
his  glory  and  he  spoke  of  him."  How  exactly  he 
fitted  into  his  own  statements  concerning  his 
death  and  his  resurrection  and  concerning  the 
abiding  security  of  the  truths  he  taught  and  upon 
which  we  now  feed.  Look  these  all  over,  elabor- 
ate the  line   of   suggestions  for  yourselves,  and 


e««Mi 


5A 


orr  or  run  rAfx-iiri: 


It'll  iii(»  \v!is  IIkmv  over  rct-ordi'd  luiy  such  miiiuli' 
ns  this.  II(>iir  him,  "I  taiiio  from  above."  His 
iianio  is  culled  Immuniiol.  Ciod  with  tis.  TIt> 
suvs,  "Hi-  Ihiit  hath  seen  mo  luilh  soon  the 
Falhcr. "  In  turn  the  chiif  priosts  scorned  and 
then  feared  him,  sayin^j,  -'The  people  are  gone 
after  him." 

Pliny,  the  younger,  when  he  iinds  that  the 
mag'sM-ates  are  l)ringing  Christians  to  trial  for 
tlu'ir  religion,  writes  to  the  Emperor  for  adviee. 
He  knows  not  their  crinu'S  nor  the  puni.sliment 
duo  them.  Ilo  has  not  attended  any  of  the  trials. 
Shall  ho  make  any  distinction  between  the  young 
and  the  old,  the  tender  and  the  robust?  Shall  ho 
release  any  that  repent  or  recant  ?  Hero  is  his 
letter,  written  probably  in  the  year  112. 

"My  method  has  Ijoen  this:  I  asked  those 
brought  betoic  me  whether  they  were  Christians. 
If  they  confessed,  I  asked  them  twice  afresh,  with 
a  threat  of  capital  punishment.  If  they  })ersisted 
obstinately,  I  ordered  them  to  be  o.xocuted,  for  I 
had  no  doubt  that  whatever  the  nature  of  their 
religion,  a  vllffiil  and  sullen  inflexihiUty  deserved 
punishmont.  Some  that  were  infected  with  the 
madness,  beii  entitled  to  the  privileges  of  Ro- 
man citizens,  1  reserved  to  be  sent  to  Rome  to  be 
referred  to  your  tribunal.  As  information  poured 
in  that  they  were  encouraged,  more  cases  oc- 
curred.    A  list  of  names  was  sent  by  an  unknoicn 


\  ^ 


^   ^' 


Tin:  cuitisr  miuaii.i: 


B7 


h  niirivilo 

ve."     His 

us.       Tt.« 

soon  tho 

inicd  and 

arc  gone 

that  tlio 
)  trial  fdi- 
or  advico. 
Liuislinicnt 
tho  trials, 
the  you  11  y 
Slial!  he 
ore  is  his 

;kod  those 
^'hristiiins. 
fresh,  Willi 
,'  jicrsisted 
uted,  for  I 
re  of  their 
?/  deserved 
d  with  the 
•ges  of  Ro- 
lomc  to  be 
ion  poured 
5  cases  oc- 
n  unknoxcn 


\: 


accuMT,  but  soiiu' of  (he  accused  denied  that  they 
were  or  ever  had  been  Christians.  They  re|icate(l 
after  nu'  an  invoeatioa  of  the  ;(nds  and  of  your 
inia<,'e.  They  performed  saered  riles  with  wine 
and  franUineense,  and  reviled  Christ,  none  of 
which  thiiijfs,  I  am  told,  a  itK.M,  Cliristiiiii  would 
ever  lie  compt-Ued  to  do.  Therefoie,  I  dismissed 
them,  Others.  iiame<l  by  an  informer,  (irst  con- 
fessed and  then  denied  it,  and  declared  that  tliey 
had  forsaken  that  error  thiee  or  four  years,  some 


even  t  went  v  years  ayo. 


And  this  was 


the  account  wliicli  they  gave  of  the  nature  of  tiie 
religion  tliey  oiue  professed,  whether  it  deserves 
the  name  of  crime  or  error:  That  they  were  a(v 
eustomed  to  meet  on  a  stated  day,  before  sunrise, 
and  to  repeat  among  themselves  a  hymn  to  Christ 
as  to  a  god,  and  to  bind  them.selves  as  with  an 
oath  not  to  commit  any  wickedness,  not  to  be 
guilty  of  theft,  robbery,  or  adultery,  never  to 
break  a  promise  or  withhold  a  ))ledge; after  which 
it  was  thi'ir  custom  to  separate,  and  meet  again 
at  a  promiscuous  meal  (doubtless  the  love-feast 
connected  with  the  Lord's  Supper).  From  this 
last  they  desisted  after  I  publisliT'd  my  edict  ac- 
cording to  your  orders  and  forbade  any  secret 
sK'ieties  <jf  that  sort.  To  come  at  the  truth,  1 
thought  it  necessary  to  put  to  the  torture  two 
women  said  to  be  deaconesses.  But  I  could  srather 
nothing  except  a  depraved  and  excessive  super- 


^^ 


M 


OUT  OF  Tilt:  CAISI.IIT. 


htltioii.  Di-foniiiK  furtluT  lnvi'sli^,'iilioii,  I  iv- 
Milvcd  to  consiill  ynu,  for  tin-  >Hn,i/>rro(  culprits 
Is  HO  jjrrrut  ivs  to  tlfiiiiiml  scri<>M>  .•..ii/Klcnition. 
lnfornicrs  lod^'f  coii.i.laiuts  iv^Mn>\  ii  nm/ti/m/rot 
every  at,'o  uiid  of  both  sexes.  M(.rf  still  may  l.c 
ImiK-aelu-d.  The  conla-,non  of  tl.is  suiun-stllioii 
has  spn-ad  thn.uj^li  <-lfhs  and  i'ill<i</<n,  and  even 
reaehcd  J\,rm-hn„x,,.       Yet    1    tl.ii.k    it    may    bo 

cheelu'd." 

Kveii   these   very  words  of    I'liny  sovmd  like  a 
partial  n'pi>rt  of  which  Josus'  own  words  wi-re  a 
prophoey  as  he  referred    to  roniint,'  trials  of  his 
poopks  ineludin^,'   the    destruction   of  Jerusalem, 
sayinfj;,  "  Then  shall  they  deliver  you  up  to  bo 
umiclcd  and  shall  kill  you  and  yo  shall  be  hutod 
of  all  nations  for  my  namo'H  sake,  and  theii  shall 
many  be  .)tTendcd  and  shall  betray  one  another." 
Surely  he  who  could  say,  "  before  Abraham  was  I 
am,"  is  also  saying  "when  Nero  is  I   am."     Do 
you  notice  that  phrase  in  IMiny's  letter,  "  yet  I 
think  it  may  bo  checked."     Why,  here  is  the  tes- 
timony   of  a  heathen    writin<r    to  a   heathen,   a 
Roman  writing  to  a  Roman,  a  governnuMit  olli'ial 
writing  to  an  Emperor.     Jesus  Christ  lurs  boon 
crucified;   he  thinks   the  plan    may   be  checked. 
We   know  it  can   not  be  checked.     The   heathen 
colorin;,'  of  the  letter  is   appart-nt.      A  few   scn- 
teiKCS  hi  his  letter  reveal  something  wonderfully 
su-r-.- .'Stive  about  the  spirit  or  the  timber  of  the 


Ill,     I    IV- 

(ulpi-its 

llclillillll, 
lllillllli    u[ 

1  may  We 

un'stlliim 

iii»<l  even 

iiuiy    1)0 

ud  likf  a 
da  were  a 
uls  tif  liis 
crusaU'in, 
up    to   1)0 
I  be  liatcd 
Ihoii  shall 
unothor.  ■' 
I  nun  was  I 
am."     Do 
^T,  "yet  I 
is  tlu'  tos- 
iciitlHMi,   a 

l01ltoffi'''Vill 

;  lii's  been 
[»  I'lu'i-ki'd. 
0  In-alhcu 
\  few  son- 
/otulorfully 
ibor  of  the 


r///;  I  iiitisT  MiUMi.i: 


m 


early  followers  of  Christ.  Ana  his  reference  (o 
those  who  withdrew  Iheir  alh'j^iaine  to  .lesns  is  no 
moiL-  striking;  than  the  refercme  to  sinh  occnr- 
ronc'PS  In  the  (lospel  of  John  and  the  Kpi^tli's  of 
Paul,  or  the  records  of  the  faUeii  as  the  rcsuii  of 
selllshni'.s.s  in  the  day  in  whii  h  we  live. 
Evidently  they  did  not  all  iccant,  and  eviilently 
recanting  was  becoming  uncommon.  Jesus  Chri.st 
wa.s  not  Hclf-deceived. 

We  need  not  consider  it  so  liewiiderin;^'  that 
Jesus  Christ  should  have  been  born  of  a  wninan 
who  was  espoused,  not  nnirried,  to  Joseph,  a  plain 
carpenter.  Without  doubt  this  fact  sujfo(>sts  a 
great  n)ystery,  yetali  iife  is  aniystery.  Strange. 
keen,  coy  life;  who  can  tell  what  it  is  ?  Hut 
there  is  a  sweetness  to  the  mystery  like  tlu! 
sweetness  in  the  mystery  of  Miusicor  of  atTection; 
we  love  their  very  mysteries.  They  charm  us. 
So  to  say  the  least  of  it  the  mystery  hei'e  is  win- 
Bomc,  Look  back  to  that  mother  who  bore  you, 
and  as  you  think  it  over  you  say,  "  Rorn  of  her,  yet 
an  individual."  Wy  are  ourselves.  We  are  not 
her.  And  since  the  great  Creator  has  made  the 
law  by  which  the  generations  of  n«in  are  born  and 
succeed  each  other— a  law  so  mysterious,  is  it  to 
be  doubted  that  by  that  same  law  ho  should  come 
among  us  living  as  a  man?  You  will  find  be- 
wildering and  tormenting  mysteries  if  you  try  to 


fin 


OVT  OF  THE  CAIS-l.ll'l' 


follow  out  llic  liiK"  of  uccountiiig  for  Jesus  Christ, 
by  iiuy  oUu-r  nu'tliotl. 

IJehold  hiui   stand  the  Son  of   man.  the  Sou  of 
(Jod  !  Ho  came  to  show  us  what  it  is  to  be  a  man. 
and  he  came  to  teach  ns  what  it  is  to  be  God.   He 
is  in    .ui  -.vay  before  us  as  the  very  path   to  vic- 
tory   w    can  not  get  around  him,  we  can  not  get 
over  li..n,  we  can  not  got  under  him,  he  is  risen 
from  the  dead,  he  will  not  die.   Behold  he  is  ahvc 
forevermore.      No  stain  has  been  upon   his  lips. 
No  lust  was  seen  in  his  eye.     No  doubledeahng 
in  his   conduct.     He    came    from   above.     He  is 
above  all.     t     J  so  loved  the  world   that  he  gave 
him.      The  Germans  have  their   Von  Moltke  and 
their  Bismarck,  the  Hungarians  have  their  Come- 
nius,   the    Italians  Garibaldi,    the  English  their 
Wellington,  and  the  Americans  their  Washington 
and  their  Grant;  but  the  Germans,  the  Hungar- 
ians, the  Italians,    the  English,    the    Americans 
and  the  nations  of  civilization  hold  to  this  one  Je- 
sus Christ.     And  how  quickly  the  heathen  rushes 
to  pay  his  homage  to  aim.     If  the  Jew  had  been 
as  prompt  as  the  heathen,  the  nations  of  the  world 
might  have  been  in  the  full  glory  of   the  era  of 
his  peace  to-day.     Hoes  he  not  charm  your  s..ul  ? 
And  it  is  not  only  what  we  can  say  of  Christ  as  a 
person  or  as  a  character  ranging  among  characters, 

but  O,  what  language  of  peace  is  heard  upon  the 
lips  of  tljosc  who  arc  acquainted  with  him.    They 


,  Chrihi 

Son  of 
eanian, 
Jod.  He 
I   to  vie- 
not  got 
is  risen 
?  is  alive 
his  lips, 
'doaling 
.     Ho  is 
ho  gave 
)llko  and 
>ii'Come- 
ish"  their 
.shington 
Hungar- 
incricans 
is  one  Je- 
en  rushes 
had  been 
the  world 
ho  era  of 
our  soiil  ? 
ihrist  as  a 
liaracters, 
upon  the 
lim.    They 


THE  CHRIST  MlliACLE 


fil 


call  him  Saviour.  They  call  him  Friend,  Blessed 
Redeemer,  the  Best  Friend,  Our  Lord  and  All  in 
All.  Nor  is  it  so  much  a  question  of  whether  we 
shall  know  the  actual  things  he  said,  though  tliis 
is  valuable,  but  it  is  that  we  shall  know  him,  that 
we  shall  get  into  the  sweep  of  his  character  and 
be  like  him.  Like  sonic  little  child  in  a  boat 
caught  in  the  current  of  a  deep,  swift,  flowing 
river,  borne  on  with  the  Christ-spirit. 


:  i 
i 


1     .1  I      .    f 


THE  MASTERY  OF  CHRIST. 


II.  igwrnrn  WHwrfflJwjiiii 


s££fitt 


I 


"  Can  satan  cause  the  truth  of  Ood  to  fail,  or  his  prom- 
ises tC'  be  of  none  pffcct?  If  not,  the  time  will  coino 
when  Christianity  will  prevail  over  all.  and  cover  the 
eartL.  Let  us  stand  a  little,  and  survey  this  strange 
sight,  a  ChrMUm  World.  Where,  I  pray,  do  the  Christ- 
ians live  ?  Which  is  the  coun  ry,  the  inhabitants 
whereof  are  all  thus  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost?  Are 
all  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul?  Can  not  suffer  one 
among  them  to  lack  anythinf.%  but  continually  give  to 
every  man  as  he  hath  need  V  Who,  one  and  all.  have 
the  love  of  (iod  filling  their  hearts,  and  constraining 
them  to  love  their  neighbors  as  themselves?  Wholiavo 
all  "put  on  bowels  of  mercy,  humbleness  of  mind,  gen- 
tleness, long  suffering?"'  Who  offend  not  in  any  kind, 
either  by  word  or  deed,  against  justice,  mercy  or  truth; 
but  in  every  point  do  unto  all  men  ad  they  would  these 
should  do  unto  them  ?  With  what  propriety  can  we 
term  any  a  Christian  country  wliich  does  not  answer 
this  description  ?  Why,  then,  let  us  confess  wo  have 
never  yet  seen  a  Christian  country  upon  earth." 

John  W  esi-ey. 

Tlie  grace  of  Our  Lord  Jcsiis  CliriM  be  wUh  yoti.  Rom- 
ans xviwO. 

"A  sort  of  affectation  prevents  some  Christians  from 
treating  religion  as  if  its  sphere  lay  among  the  common 
places  of  daily  life.  It  is  to  them  transcendental  and 
dreamy;  rather  a  creation  of  pious  fiction  than  a  matter 
of  fact.  They  believe  in  God,  after  a  fashion,  for  things 
spiritual,  and  for  the  life  which  is  to  be;  but  they  totally 
forget  that  true  godliness  hath  the  promise  of  the  life 
which  now  is,  as  well  as  of  that  which  is  to  come.  To 
them  it  would  seem  almost  a  profanation  to  pray  about 
the  small  matters  of  which  daily  life  is  made  up.  Per- 
haps they  will  be  startled  if  I  venture  to  suggest  that 
this  should  make  them  question  the  reality  of  their 
faith.  C.  H.  SruRGEON. 


i  ■ 


# 


Ills  proin- 
kvill  coino 
covor  tlio 
s  stranpo 
he  Christ- 
habitants 
)st  ■?  Aro 
iiifTor  ono 
y  Kivo  to 

all,  liavi) 
istrainiri}^ 
^Vllollavo 
lind,  grn- 
my  kind, 

or  truth; 
•uld  these 
y  can  wo 
jt  answer 

wo  have 

*  ESLEy. 

ni.    Rom- 

ians  from 
>  common 
ental  and 
.  a  matter 
for  things 
ley  totally 
t  tho  life 
iome.  To 
ray  about 
up.  Per- 
(■gest  that 
of   their 

JRGEON. 


# 


THE  MASTERY  OF  CHRIST. 

I>'lNO,  Priiic(>,  Muster,  Lord. — whiit  authority 
*^  dwells  in  llu'si  i '.tics.  The  roal  moaning  of 
that  word  '  'Lord  "  if  transferred  to  an  ocean  steam- 
ship would  render  it  iMaster,  or  if  transferred  to 
a  large  business  block  under  construction  would 
render  it  Foreman,  or  if  to  a  railroad,  Superin- 
tendent. Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  then  is  our 
Lord.  He  came  asking  fqiMio4iiJ^mgj'egardj_  he 
camc-tamaniige. 

Right  here  lurks  the  infidelity  which  has  slyly 
gained  a  place  in  the  very  temple  of  the  King. 
It  says  Christ  is  the  great  Friend,  the  wonderful 
Saviour,  but  it  refuses  to  say  v  .'i  Paul,  "He  is 
the  wisdom  of  God."  It  will  w  k-me  the  Christ- 
ian religion  as  a  comfortable  conveyance  te  a 
heaven  of  rest,  but  it  objects  to  the  Christian  re- 
ligion as  the  regulating  authority  of  God  for  this 
earths. 

It  is  willing  to  help  brace  up  the  church,  but  it 
refuses  to  usher  in  the  Kingdom  w'  Ich  Christ  so 
emphatically  said  was  at  hand,  not  finding  in  the 
church  Christ's  bride  who  shall  be  the  mother  of 
the  adopted  family  gathered  from  the  wayward 
everywhere. 


f 


66 


OUT  OP  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


m 


A  modern  Muttliow  nii;^lit  well  be  welcomed 
into  the  field  wlio  woidd  express  anew  for  us  the 
thought  of  th"  Old  Testament  country  Evange- 
list, .vlicah,  <'Out  of  thee  (Bethlehem)  shall  come 
a  Governor  which  shall  be  Shepherd  of  my  people 
Israel."  Matt.  ii;(!,  R.  V.  When  wo  are  willing 
to  apply  the  principles  of  Jesus  to  political  alfairs 
we  will  be  ready  for  the  new  title  Shepherd- 
Governoi'.  Then  shall  we  close  up  the  chasm 
between  the  secular  and  the  sacred;  and  the 
Protestant  Reformation  shall  find  its  fuller  reform. 
Christ  did  not  come  to  be  the  spectacle  of  the 
world.  He  came  to  be  its  Saviour.  Christ  is  an 
infinite  expression  of  holy  help.  He  is  not  a 
Shepherd  and  a  Governor,  he  is  the  Shepherd- 
Governor.  He  is  not  only  a  King  and  a  Saviour, 
he  is  the  Saving  King  and  the  Kingly  Saviour. 
He  is  one  present,  pure,  saving  Lord. 

1.  He  is  the  Lord  of  business  affairs.  We 
say  this  part  of  life  is  business  and  that  part  of 
life  is  religion;  business  is  business  and  religion  is 
n'ligion,  and  you  can  not  mix  business  and  relig- 
ion. To  be  sure  you  can  not  mix  business  and 
religion  unless  you  have  the  religion  to  mix.  But 
business  is  Christianity  aui  Christianity  is  busi- 
ness. Christ  came  to  regulate  the  transactions 
in  our  business  affairs  so  that  a  man  can  drop 
dead  in  any  office  where  legitimate  business  is 
employing  his  time,  saying,  I  do  this  in  the  name 


-r                                                    *- 

velcoinod 

tr  us  the 

Evange- 

lall  come 

ly  people 

e  willing 

.■al  affairs 

hepherd- 

e   chasm 

and   the 

r  reform. 

e  of  the 

rist  is  an 

is  not   a 

hepherd- 

Saviour, 

Saviour.                         i 

rs.      We 

t  part  of 

eligion  is 

md  relig- 

ness  and 

lix.     But 
y  is  busi- 

nsactions 
can  drop 

isiness  is 

the  name 

TIW  MASTEllV  OF  VIllllST 


f)7 


of  the  Lord  Jesus.  What  is  a  man's  business  but 
the  method  by  which  he  linds  holy  employment 
and  holy  defense  against  the  sutTering  and  the 
needs  of  those  intrusted  to  him?  Shall  a  man  bo 
an  appendix  to  a  plow,  or  a  yard-stick,  or  a  rail- 
road, or  an  ore-crusher  ?  God  made  him  to  be  a 
king,  and  gave  him  his  commission  to  subdue  the 
earth  and  have  dominion.  And  one  of  the  sad- 
dest exhibitions  of  the  weakness  introduced  into 
his  life  by  sin  is  that  this  king  will  run  from  a 
hornet.  The  crowding  of  Jesus  out  of  business, 
where  man  gets  his  hardest  knock«,  and  either 
loses  or  finds  his  manhood,  has  brought  us  a  ter- 
rible greed  for  gold  and  a  kind  of  hardness  and 
Cibtuseness,  which  lias  made  the  business  life  of 
many  a  sullen  treadmill  of  remorse.  Our  fathers 
and  mothers  used  to  sing, 

"  Wbon  I  can  read  my    title  clear  to  mansions  in   the 

skies, 
I'll  bid  farewell  to  every  fear,  and  wipe  my  weeping 

eyes." 
But  the  worldly  business  men  of  to-day  would 
seem  to  sing: 
"  When  I  can  sing  my  title  clear  to  mansions  on  the 

avenue. 
I'll  bid  farewell  to  every  fear,  and  the  devil  take  you." 

We  can  hardly  endure  calla  lilies;  we  want 
celery  so  we  can  eat  it.  Lambs  skipping  on  the 
hillside  lose  their  poetic  significance;  we  want 


68 


OUT  OF  Tin-:  I'AIX-I.II'K 


irnittdii.  Wf  aro  lilic  the  old  iiiiui  wlio-i'  wife 
camo  hoiiu'  from  fhiiivh,  and  wIumi  lie  uslicd  lioi- 
what  the  preaching  was  about,  she  said:  '-He 
preaehed  about  Joseph  going  down  into  Egypt 
to  buy  corn,"  whereupon  the  old  man  questioned, 
"Did  he  say  what  corn  is  worth  down  there  now?" 
Wc  are  like  the  woman  who  rushed  out  of  a  mil- 
liner's store  to  conduct  a  missionary  meeting,  and 
upon  reaching  the  platform  said,  "Let  us  rise  and 
sing  hymn  two  dollars  and  a  half."  Oh,  brothers, 
let  Christ  into  your  business.  And  let  him  not 
only  be  a  comfoi'ter;  let  the  spirit  of  Christ  reg- 
ulate the  daily  struggle  and  put  it  into  harmony. 
Be  like  the  London  tinker  who  said  he  served 
God  for  a  business  and  mended  pans  for  expenses. 
If  your  business  is  not  right,  righten  it  or  leave  it. 

If  your  business  is  a  righteous  business,  make 
it  your  throne,  where  Christ  places  you. 

Let  me  commend  to  you  the  following  words  of 
Mary  A.  Lathbury: 

"Children  of  yesterday,  hoirs  of  to-morrow, 
What  aro  you  weaving,  labor  and  sorrow '.' 

Loolf  at  your  looms  again;  faster  and  faster 
Fly  the  great  shuttles  prepared  liy  the  Master; 

Life's  in  the  loom,  room  for  it — room! 

Children  of  yesterday,  heirs  of  to-morrow. 
Lighten  the  labor  and  sweeten  the  sorrow; 

Now,  while  the  shuttles  fly  faster  and  faster, 
Up  and  bo  at  it — at  work  with  the  Master. 

He  stands  at  your  loom,  room  for  him — room! 


THE  MAyrKliV  OF  cmtlST 


00 


t 


0 


CliiMn-ii  of  ycsli'iMliiy.  lirirs  (  f  ln-iinii'i'ow, 
l-(H»k  ;U  .\iini'  fiiliric  ul'  1;i1kii'  mid  sorrow, 

SciUD.v  and  (liirU  with  (lcs|):iii'  and  disaster. 
Turn  U.  and  lol   The  di'sij,ni  of  (lie  MastiT! 

The  Lord's  at  the  Ifimii.  I'ooin  for  liini — roonil  " 

A  poor  scamstri'ss,  wlui  luul  scvcrul  cliiUlivii  to 
support,  wus  ;isk('(l  hj-  u  Clirislian  woman  I  -he 
pro.spoivd.  Tlic  .sciinislrcss  r(>j)li('(l.  "(>,  Ui.- 
you;  I  am  riL'li  ill  worU."  Wlicn  work  cooi.  • 
worshi)),  it  will  he  consitlcrcd  rid  •  i.'lpi'd. 
What  a  covftable  opportunity  tho  biisim  -^  .nan 
ha.s  to-day  of  provinj^  to  tho  world  f'at  niastory 
of  Christ  without  which  industrial  h;  m  ^  acver 
can  be  roalizod. 

When  the  blacksmith  was  cautioned  by  the 
minister  to  ivmembor  as  he  shod  the  horse  that 
the  Lord  nuule  the  animal,  he  replied,  "  I  will  do 
better  than  that,  I  will  I'emember  that  the  Lord 
is  makui^f  this  nail." 

A  middle-aged  gentleman  who  carried  a  sunny 
face  arose  recently  in  a  camp  meeting  and  said, 
"I  am  sometimes  taken  for  a  minister  and  the 
brethren  want  to  know  where  my  'charge'  is;  I 
tell  them  down  on  the  corner  of- Grand  avenue 
and  Water  street  in  my  home  city.  I  operate  a 
lumber  yard  for  the  Lord  there." 

Just  notice  how  in  those  sayings  on  the  moun- 
tain-side Christ  strikes  a  comparison  between  man 
and  the  animals.     On  other  occasions  he  answers 


ii 


if!  i 


!li 


70 


ni'T  OP  THE  CAIXLIFE 


(lie  Jews  by  cxiircssiiij^  lli(>  very  siiiiic  iiU'il  when  lie 
says,  foriiistimcc,  ■•  How  miuli  bettor  is  uiiiuii  than 
it  sli('('i)?"  TIci('  ill  tlu'sc  sayiiif(son  thcmoiintain- 
siilc  he  iniikcs  the  (•(iiiipiirison  very  dclinite  and 
Ihoii  dearly  draws  the  lesson.  IlarkiMi.  "  Be- 
hold the  l)irds  of  the  heaven  that  they  sow  not, 
neither  do  they  reap  nor  {father  into  barns,  and 
your  heavenly  Father  fi'edetli  them,  are  not  yo 
of  niiich  more  value  than  they."  The  question 
resolves  itself  into  this,  if  God  provides  j^rass  for 
the  sheep's  food,  water  for  its  drink  and  wool  for 
its  baek,  seeds  and  worms  and  insects  for  the 
birds  and  feathers  for  their  covering,  nothing 
can  prevent  him  from  providinif  all  we  need  for 
our  food  and  clothing  but  our  disloyalty,  and  it 
will  all  work  out  as  orderly  as  does  the  provision 
for  the  sheep  and  for  the  bird.  People  who  are 
disloyal  have  much  of  these  things,  wretched 
blasphemei's  fare  sumptuously  every  day.  Shall 
not  you  and  I  have  the  necessities  ?  O,  worry- 
ing soul,  seek  first  the  Kingdom.  There  are 
multitudes  of  people  who  believe  in  God  for  al- 
most everything  else  but  for  these  common  every- 
day provisions.  No  wonder  Jesus  said  right 
here,  "  O,  ye  of  little  faith!  "  We  are  not  suffer- 
ing so  much  from  infidelity  about  "f/te  Trinity  "  as 
infidelity  about  bread  and  butter. 

We  divide  between  what  we  call  the  sacred  and 
the  secular,   but  with  God  all  is  sacred.      This 


4 


TUU  MAsrunv  of  riinisr 


7t 


I'U  when  lie 
UIIIUII  tliuii 

moimtain- 
>fiuiti'  and 
ni.  "Bf- 
y  sow  not, 
barns,  and 
arc  not  yo 
(•  q  lies  lion 
s  {ijrass  f Ol- 
id wool  for 
['ts  for  the 
r.  nothing 
0  nood  for 
Ity,  and  it 
?  provision 
•le  who  are 
,  wretched 
ay.  Shall 
O,  worry- 
There  are 
God  for  al- 
mon  every- 
said  right 
not  suffer- 
Trinity  "  as 

sacred  and 
•ed.      This 


i 


practice  of  laying  one  set  of  aclinnsnpon  oiii-sidc 
of  a  line  and  another  set  of  attions  upuri  tlio 
other  side  of  the  line  and  calling  those  on  the  one 
side  sacred,  and  tliDse  on  the  other  side  secular 
is  a  mistake  of  the  dark  ajres.  The  monastic  idea 
is  not  actually  dead  yet.  I  had  a  friend  who 
talked  about  dim,  re/i</i(iii.i  light.  What  a  use  of 
the  word  "religious."  That  very  class  of  con- 
ceptions has  given  us  this  thing  sacred  and  that 
thing  secular.  Not  that  one  thing  or  one  day 
may  not  be  consid'MVJ  more  vastly  sacred  than 
another,  but  we  are  living  in  that  order  of  gov- 
ernment which  calls  upon  u.s  to  eat  or  drink  or 
do  whatsoever  we  do  in  the  name  of  tlie  Lord 
Jesus,  to  lire  a  fi/c  rather  than  allot  sections  of  a 
life,  and  in  all  t/iiiH/n  by  prayer  and  supitlication 
with  thanksgiving  to  let  our  requests  be  made 
known  unto  God.  Let  us  again  call  to  mind 
that  when  Jesus  so  often  and  so  sweetly  called 
attention  to  the  care  of  on r  "J''ather"  for  us  in 
those  sayings  on  the  mountain  plateau  he  sj)oke 
particularly  of  food  and  clotliing.  And  of  these 
things,  food,  drink  and  clothing,  mark  you,  he 
said,  "Your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye 
have  need  of  all  these  things;"  and  it  was  of 
these  provisions,  things  we  handle,  taste  and 
wear,  things  wc  soil  and  wear  out,  it  was  of  the 
supply  of  these  things  ho  spoke,  when  he  said, 
Consider  the   lilies  how    they  grow."      Right 


f— 


«Ui 


ii 


!   ! 


(trr  or  im:  ci/.v  /.//'/; 


hi  re  llic  awful  hrccfli  is  fiiuscd  In  the  Cliristiaii 
chiiicli  of  (iiir  tliiy  l)y  lIic  infidelity  witliin  it 
with  wliicli  inch  lire  homul  us  if  with  a  fetter, 
Perhaps  the  most  iiotieeuhle  need  of  our  day  is  a 
spirit  of  holiness  ainonjf  men  of  business.  The 
Inisiness  men  hy  the  hundred  show  their  wronjf 
bent  in  life  not  so  mueli  hy  violent  wiekedness  as 
by  cowardly  inlidelity.  And  wlien  1  say  infidel- 
ity I  do  not  moan  tiiat  whiih  refuses  to  believe 
in  tlie  revelation  of  (iod,  or  allies  itself  to utiieism. 
I  meun  that  inlidelity  wliii  Ii  does  not  reekon  (iod 
in  the  richness  of  his  jironusos  into  aeeount. 
Tliunk  God  for  blessed  oxeopticms  to  the  startling 
general  order  of  business  afTairs  the  country  over. 
That  general  order  will  never  cease  until  men 
cease  to  believe  that  going  to  church  is  sacred 
and  selling  clotli  .secular.  In  its  proper  time 
and  proper  place  .selling  cloth  is  as  sacred  as  sing- 
ing psalms,  or  ploughing  fields  as  sacred  as  pray- 
ing. Do  I  hear  some  business  man  say  there  is 
the  p(.int  exactly,  if  we  could  plough  the  fields  it 
would  be  another  question.  Our  fathers  ploughed 
fields  and  they  lived  righteously,  but  it  isa  decid- 
edly different  thing  to  transact  business  upon  the 
vast  basis  of  affairs  where  we  operate  with  our 
new  inventions  and  enterprises  to-day.  Well 
then,  there  is  land  enough,  let  us  move  out  on  to 
the  farm.  We  may  better  live  there  than  wreck 
our  destiny  by  denying  Christ  or  selling  him  for 


I 


TiiH  MASTniii  i>t'  ( iimyr 


73 


j^old.  Lot  us  iiiiikt'  tlic  fiiriii  ><ur  iirk  anil  imi>1i 
into  It,  takiiif^  with  us  u  multitudo.  Ali,  no,  wo 
nocd  not  I'liM  to  the  fiiriM.  Sliijiid  intlddit y!  As 
if  Clwlst  liiul  lost  till'  I<in}^filani  or  divided  it  with 
tho  ont-niy.  We  know  that  those  plain  short 
HtftU'Uieiits  ■  his  will  revolutionize  us — and  liusi- 
ncss  customs  us  well.  We  will  seek  lii'st  his 
kinj^dom  (world  wide,  prosent,  .  >nun<j;,  unfail- 
inj^)  and  his  rifj;hteousness;  food  and  (•lothin;(  aro 
ndded  like  tho  decoration  to  the  lily.  Let  us  bo 
poor.  Ho  wus.  Let  us  lose.  He  did.  Lot  us 
die.  We  are  still  with  him.  fa't  us  not  bo 
nnxious.     lie  oareth  for  us. 

2.  Christ  is  Lord  of  literature.  Tliey  toll  us 
in  certain  quarters  that  they  don't  want  a  jj;oog- 
raphy  in  tlio  public  schools  which  teaches  that 
God  made  the  lieavens  and  tho  earth.  I  wonder 
that  they  do  not  take  the  bouquets  out,  for  fear 
tho  childr(>n  mi<fht  thiidf  that  tlio  Lord  made  tlic 
flowers.  I  wonder  that  they  do  not  put  board 
sliutters  over  tho  windows,  for  fear  the  childrcMi 
miglit  get  tlie  conviction  tliat  God  made  the  sun- 
liglit.  I  am  glad  there  are  a  few  prominent  news- 
papers in  this  country  wliich  lioUT  .some  things  of 
moral  significance  in  regard.  But  do  you  not 
know  of  the  low  penny-catching  tendency  to  crowd 
Christ  out  of  literature  which  will  yet  »oach 
the  unborn  millions  of  giils  and  boys  in 
America    unless    tho    conditions  are    cliantied  ? 


n 


<nr  OF  -niE  caix-iafe 


A    lot    of   pubruiilions    winch    lay     before    ine 
gaze     of      young      men       craven     pictures     of 
nudity     and     vileness      in      barber-shops      and 
other  places,   are  but   instances  of  another  vio- 
lent attempt  to  crowd  Christ  out.     There   is  no 
great  tone  of  sentiment  in  prose  and  poetry  in  all 
Christendom    to-day  which  is    not    traceable   to 
something  Jesus  said.      I  hoard  Dr.  John  P.  New- 
man  say  that  when  he  was  a  pastor  in  Washing- 
ton   he    was  surprised  to    find,'  when  called    to 
visit  sick  Congressmen,  that  so   many   of    them 
would  ask  for  the  New  Testament   to  be  gotten 
from  their  pockets  that  he  might  read  to   them 
from  it  during  his  visits.      Statesmen,  not  to  say 
orators   and  politicians,  reckon  the  standards  of 
their  public   addresses  largely  by  the  Scripture 
quotations  which  break  out  upon  them  like  fruit 
upon  a  tree.     Our  dearest  American  poets  have 
been  Christly  singers.    When  Christ  shall  be  truly 
recognized  as  master  of  the  thoughts  of  the  peo- 
ple we  will  not  be  surprised  to  hear  men  and 
women  say  that  they  have  been  called  of  God  to 
be  editors. 

3.  There  have  been  indications,  too,  of  an  at- 
tempt to  crowd  Christ  out  of  his  own  Church.  I 
would  not  speak  carelessly  or  thanklessly  of  that 
best  institution  of  earth  to-day.  the  Christian 
Church.  The  Church  was  God's  highway,  at  the 
entrance  of  which  I  found  Christ,  and  I  love  her 


■4 

I 


'/'///•;  MASTKIiV  OF  ('Illiisr 


75 


virtues  very  dearly.    The  Cliureh  is  not  made  yet. 
It  is  bi'U)ff  made.      And  I  love  her  so  dearly  that 
when  I  sec  an  indication  of  a  defect  I  must  gent- 
ly point  it  out  just  as   I  would  seek    to    remedy 
some  defect  in  my  mother's  health.     The  Church 
has  strongly  vei-ged  again  upon  the  brink  of  sell- 
ing out  to  all  kinds  of  formularies  and  cu.- toms 
and  trifling  entertainments,  in  the  place  of  truly 
enthroning  Chri.^t.      They  tell  us  that  all  subjects 
of  general  interest  lead  up  to  Christ.     I   do   not 
deny  that  there  is  a  connection  between  all  sub- 
jects of  true  interest  and  Jesus  Christ.      But  the 
world    is  hungering   for   Christ    himself.       You 
might  take  me  to  the  Atlantic  cable  and  tell  me 
that  this  leads  up  to  Cyrus  W.  Field,  but  if  I  had 
known  nothing  about  Cyrus  \V.  Field's  inventing 
the  cable,  could  I  possibly    find    out   about    Mr. 
Field  from  looking  at  that  guttapercha  and  wire? 
It  would   indeed  lead    up    to    Mr.  Field,  but    the 
elevator  is  invisible.     This  world  wants  Christ; 
the  personal  Christ,  the  living  Christ;  the  real 
saving,  abiding,  undying,  pulsiig  Christ.      They 
tell  us  now  that  we  shall  presently  have  a  unitv 
of  religions;  that  we  shall  be  called  wpon  to  min- 
gle a  little  Mohammedanism  and  Buddhism  and 
Brahmanism  and  Shintuism,  with  a  little  Christi- 
anity, and  that  in  the  coming  days  we  shall  have 
a  broad,  great  religion. 

When  I  was  a  boy,  an   old   minister  presented 


70 


(irr  OF  Tin:  cjix-Lifi: 


Oriental  Religions,'"  and  over 


me  with  Caird's 
since  I  read  it,  I  liavc  understood  that  there  were 
certain  virtues  in  heallion  religions,  accompanied 
by  a  great  many  vices,  and  that  these  virtues  are 
I  result  of  Clirist,  the  true  light,  shedding  some 
ligh'  'nto  the  heart  of  (>very  man  that  comcth 
into  the  world.  But  tiici'e  is  one  Christianity; 
only  one  Ciirist.  and  Chiist  is  the  Christian. 
The  true  Christian  is  the  Christ-man — Christ, 
Christ,  Christ-i-anity. 

I  had  a  day  dream.  Men  gathered  together  to 
create  a  unity  of  lights.  The  first  man  had  a  taper 
from  a  child's  Christmas  tree,  the  second  man 
had  a  tallow  candle  and  the  third  a  kerosene 
lamp.  It  was  a  very  hot  day  in  August.  The 
first  man,  lighting  the  taper,  stood  out  in  a  high 
place  and  accosted  the  sun:  '-O,  sun  in  the 
heavens,  I  will  assist  you.  Let  the  world  look  on 
while  we  create  unity  of  lights."  The  old  sun 
smiled  and  then  laughed,  and  then  with  a  ha  ha, 
ha  ha.,  of  heat,  caused  the  melted  taper  to  fall 
upon  the  man's  hand  and  he  dropped  it  in  a  trice 
and  began  to  blow  the  burn,  muttering  between 
times,  "There  is  but  one  sun;  there  is  but  one 
sun." 

The  second  man  with  his  lighted  tallow  candle 
greeted  the  sun,  saying:  ''Great  sun  in  the 
heavens,  let  there  now  1)o  unity  of  lights."  The 
hot  tallow  fell   upon   his   hand.      He  dropped  his 


J^t ^ 


THE  MASTERY  OF  CURIHT 


Tt 


candle   und  turned   to  record  in   his  note-book, 
"There  is  but  one  sun;  there  i;  but  one  sun." 

The  third  man  said:    ••Gentlem.Mi,  I  will  show 
you  unity  of  lights."     Bringing  his  kerosene  oil 
lamp  lighted,  he  stood  out  on  the  high  place  and 
called  to  the  sun,  saying:    --Osun  in  the  heavens, 
I  am  here  to  assist  you.     Let  us  produce  unity  of 
lights."      The  old  sun  sent  down  its  armies  of 
light  ninety-odd  millions  of  miles  and  threw  them 
against  the  man's  lamp  until  it  exploded,  and  he 
fell  to  the  earth,  blistered  and  groaning,  where- 
upon his  comrades  picked  him   up,  wrapped  him 
m  batting  and  vaseline,  placed  him   on  his   back 
in  the  long  grass,  and  I  heard  him  now  and  again 
groaning  out  the  words,   .-There  is  but  one  sun; 
there  is  hut  one  sun.' 

I  recognize  the  virtue,  uniid  the  vices  of 
heathen  religions,  but  there  is  but  one  Christ; 
there  is  but  one  Christ.  O.  Church  of  Christ,' 
he  is  your  ho]).>.  and  you  are  the  instrument  of 
his  kingdom. 

4.  Christ  is  the  rightful  Lord  of  the  State. 
Margaret  Bottome  has  recently  given  to  the 
public  a  splendid  incident  illustrating  this  field  of 
expression  in  the  Christ-life.  She  says:  I  shall 
never  forget  an  experience  told  me  by  a  deeply 
devoted  woman,  who  found  herself  at  one  time 
living  in  a  state  where  the  women  were  citizens. 
She  was  called   upon    to  act  as  a  juror  upon  a 


OUT  OF  THE  CAm-LIFE 


murder  trial.    She  was  greatly  shocked  and  asked 
to  be  excused.     She  said  she  had  little  children 
and  wanted  to  know  if  she  could  not  be  released 
She  was  asked  if  she  had  servants,  and  answered 
that  she  had.     Had  she  a  nurse  for  her  children  ? 
and   she   replied   that  she  had.      "You  can  not 
then  be  excused,"  was  the  answer     She  told  me 
she  went  to  her  room  and  prayed  as  she  never 
had  prayed  in  her  life  for  the  presence  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  a  spirit  of  wisdom  and  power  from 
on  high  to  rest  upon  her,   and  her  prayer  was 
answered,    and    she   said   that  neve,  in  her  life 
was  she  so  conscious   of   the   prcbc-iee  of   God 
as   when   she  sat  on  that  jury   in   ,.hat  murder 
trial. 

Truth  is   truth,  whether  it  live.;  in  a  legislative 
hall  or  a  Quaker  meeting-house     /  ad  it  is  not 
necessary  for  the  state  tc     r,  thai,  .ertain  things 
are  not  correct  simply  buause  th.  church  said 
they  were  correct.     I  do  not  believe  in  the  present 
union,,:    rrch  and  state,  if  foruootherreascn  be- 
cautc  :>oU:  ,  -e  imperfect.      But  the  state  n-.ed 
not  8.y  that  nine  and  nine  are  twenty  simply 
because  the  church  says  nine  and  nine  are  eigh- 
teen.    The   state   need   not  adopt   the   reading 
of  Thomas  Carlyle  for  the  opening  of  the  pub- 
lic schools  in  the  morning  simply  because  there 
IS  only  a  percentage  of  the  Scriptures  upon  which 
differing  factions  will  agrte  as  most  suitable  for 


THE  MASTEUY  OF  ('IWIST 


T!» 


the  toachors  to  road  u,  tlio  pupils  or  tl.o  pupils  to 
say  in  conc-ort.  Do  not  thinl<  of  Christianity 
boinjr  narrower  tium  nationalism,  Christianity 
>.s  worl(l-wi<l,.,  and  Christ  is  kincr;  his  kingdom  is 
f'omo,  his  kingdom  is  hero,  his  kingdom  is  oom- 
iiig,  his  kingdom  is  yet  to  come. 

Over  Olio  hundred  times    in    the   four  Gospels 
there  is  menticmed  this  kingdom  of  Christ,  or  the 
Inngdom  of  Ciod,  or  the  kingdom  of  heaven.    God's 
-nginal  plan  vus  to  govern  men  tiirougli  the  har- 
mony of  love  as  his  own    immediate  subjects;  and 
the  race  has  not  outgrown  him.    >  -  If  thou  release 
this  man,"  said  the  angry  Jews,   .-thou  art  not 
Ca.sar's  friend;  everyone  that  maketh  himself  a 
kmg  speaketh  against  Cie.sar."   The  chief  priests 
cried  out  -Wo  have  m,  king  but  Caesar."'  How  far 
they  had  wandered  away  from  even  the  ideas  which 
prevailed  in  David's  time.    ' '  But  we  must  be  toler- 
ant."    Yes,  indeed,  wo  must  if  we  are  to  follow 
Jesus  Christ,  but  do  you    know,  that  a  vote  ap- 
pears almost,  if  not  quite,  as  sacred  as  a  .hoptism- 
and  that,  wherever  and  however,    there   is    -he' 
buying  and  selling  of  public  offices,  ot  the  rut.      ,.r 
of  political  hobbies  for  the  sake  of  the  exait      on 
of  men  to  positions  where  their  income  will  more 
completely  equal  their  extreme  expenditur  .  for 
self  indulgences  and  vice,  and  in  so  far  as  we  give 
ourselves  to  endorse  it  and  by  our  negle.     permit 
It,  to  that  extent  we  would  if   the  issue   were  on 


T-'(?r,rj!?.-^.?ij,T-j^'^ij^5n;»^;r  ■ 


80 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


With  Christ  in  the  flesh  standing  near  us  choose 
our  part  with  the  Roman  and  with  the  Pharisee 
rather  than  with  the  Christ.     Do  not  let  us  fear 
to  say  it,  the  kingdon;s  of  this  world  shall  become 
the  kingdoms  of    our    Lord  and  of  his    Christ, 
Truth  will  defeat  falsehood,  love  will  defeat  hate, 
joy  will  defeat  gloom,  and  life  will  defeat   death.' 
And  what  being  can  tell  what  the  great  God  of 
the  nations    would   do    to-day    for   that   nation 
and     through     that     nation     which  would  pro- 
claim   that    it    is    right    to    stand     wit'v     the 
Christ— a  nation  which  instead  of  continuing  to 
expend  its  resources  in  coast  defenses  and  arms 
for  its  soldiers,  saying  meanwhile  that  the  way  to 
stop  war  is  to  get  ready  to  fight;  what  if  such  a 
nation  s.ould   proclaim   to  the   world    <'We-ar3 
Christ's  people;  we  will  lay  down  our  I'ves   for 
other  nations.     The  bravery  of  the  Son  of  God 
hath  entered  into  us.     We  will  not  increase  our 
territory  upon  the  basis  of  fear  of  consequences 
from  other  nations.     In  Christ  we  live  and  our's 
is  the  victory  of  the  Son  of  God."     Does  not  the 
very  statement  concerning  Gods  providence  in 
the  Old  and  New  Testament  give  encouragement 
to  the  belief  that  such  a  nation  would  shine  as  the 
stars  in  the  firmament  and  live  guarded  as  one 
guards  the  apple  of  his  own  eye?     But  suppose 
such  a  nation  perish  from  the  face  of  the  earth. 
The  life  of  a  nation  is  the  life  of  a  multitude  of 


THE  MASTERY  OF  CUniST 


81 


individuals  uiul  it  would  live  on  i,i  eternul  worlds 
just  as   the  truc-hoarted  individual  does-  there- 
fore,   it      mifrht      better     thus      ,,erisli.  '    xVote 
these  words    so   recently   uttered    by  the   Lord 
Chief  Justice  of  Enf^land,  in  connection  with  his 
remarks  on  Internal ional  Arbitration,  before  the 
American  Bar  Association.      •  •  Who  can  say  that 
these  times    breallie  the   spirit  of  i^eace  ?     Na 
tions  armed  to  the  teeth  prate  of  peace,  but  there 
IS  no  sen.o  of  peace.     One    sovereign  burthens 
the  industry  of  his  people  to  maintain  militarv 
and  naval   armament  at  war  strength,    and  his 
neighbor  does  the  Mice  and  justifies  it  by  the  ex 
ample  of  the  other;  and  England,  insular  though 
she  be,  with  her  imperial  interests  scattered  the 
world  over,  follows,  or  is  forced  to  follow,  in  the 
wake.     If  there  be  no  war,  there  is  at  least  an 
armed  peace. 

"Figi-res  are  appalling.  I  take  those  for  18f)5 
In  Austria  the  annual  cost  of  army  and   navy 
was,   in  round  figures,   £18,000,000;  in  France, 
£37,000,000;  in  Germany,  £27.000,000;  in  Great 
Britain,  £36,000,o00;  in  Italy,  £13,000,000;  and 
in  Russia,  £52,000,000.     The  significance  of  these 
figures    is  increased    if  we   compare   them  with 
those  of  former  times.     The  normal  cost  of  the 
armaments  of  war  has  of  late  years  enormously  in- 
creased.     The  annual  interest  on  the  public  debt 
of  the  great  powers  is  a  war  tax.     Behind  this 


89 


OUT  OF  THE  CAfXLlFR 


array  of  facts  stands  a  tragic  figure.     It  tel.s  a 
dismal  talo.      Tt  spoaks  of  overburthened   indus- 
tries, of  a  waste  of  human  energy   unprofitably 
ongagod,  of  the   squandering  of  treasure   which 
nught  hav.  h4  light  into  many  lives,  of  homes 
made  desolate,  and  all  this,   too  often,   without 
recompense  in  the  thought  that  these  .sacrifices 
have   been    made  for   the  love  of  coimtry  or  to 
preserve  national  honor  or   for  national  safety. 
When  will  governments    learn    the    less.m    that 
wisdom  and  justice  in  policy  arc  a  stronger  .se- 
curity than  weight  of  armament  ?  " 

"  Ah !  when  shall  all  men's  good. 
Bo  each  man's  rule,  and  universal  poaco, 
Lie,  like  a  shaft  of  light,  across  the  land." 
I  am  not  forgetting  our  boast  of  bravery  and 
our  huzzahs,  many  of  them  prompted  by  evident 
spite  and  hate.     I  am  not  forgetting  the  proud 
boasts  of  national  honor,  but  neither  am  I  for- 
getting  the  prayers  that  have  passed  from  the 
trembling  lips  of  the  sufferers  or  the  great  hearts 
that  have  broken  that  the  love  of  God  might  have 
sway,  and  the  women  of  peace  who  have  wept  in 
the  night  hours  for   the  population    which   has 
been  consigned  to  eternity  by  the  sword.     And 
moreover,  Assyria  was  great,  and  Rome  was  great, 
and  Greece  was  great,  where  are  they  to-day  ? 
Every  nation  under  God's  skies  shall  thus  dimin- 
ish  and    fade   away   unless    it    recognizes    this 


THE  MASTEItV  OF  CHRIST 


M 


Jesus  Christ  our  Kin^r.     Ho  must  reign   until  l>o 
hath   put   all  enemies  under    his   feet.       Christ 
our  Redeemer,   ' '  Thy  i<ingd(.m  come.  •     The  tribe 
has  given  way  to  the  nation  and  the  nation  must 
recognize  the  world-bond.     We  travel  around  the 
world  in  less  than  sixty  days  and   talk  around  it 
"1  a  few  minutes.     The  world  is  rapidly  becom- 
ing a  neighborhood  and  we  must  live  as  neigh- 
bors.     That  man  who  sees  no  farther  than  his 
own  country  hath  not  had  his  own  vision  touched 
by  the  Son  of  God. 

There  are  not  wanting  men  who  sternly  oppose 
international  arbitration  right  at  this  time  when 
the  greatest  undertaking  in  behalf  of   interna- 
tional arbitration  is  being  carried  forward  with 
no  little  prospect  of  victory.     But  says  someone, 
there  are  reasons  for  opposing  arbitration.     Yes 
indeed,  and  there  are  reasons  for  betraying  Christ. 
A  few  pieces  of  silver  suggest  a  great  many  rea- 
sons, but  let  us  truly  believe  that  no  true  inspir- 
ation of  our  motives  can  exist  but  that  inspira- 
tion which  comes  out  of  the  heart  of  Christ.   And 
the  spirit  of  war  is  not  the  spirit  of  Christ. 

Just  at  this  time,  too,  there  comes  pressing  at 
the  doors  of  our  national  government  a  solicita- 
tion for  the  adoption  of  military  drill  in  the  pub- 
lic schools.  As  if  the  boys  of  America  must 
recognize  soldiery  as  a  part  of  their  education. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  necessities  of  the 


«4 


OUT  OF  Tilt:  i'AIXLIFi: 


past  ivml  howt'vcp  w.-ll  it  may  l)o  to  lionor  tho 
memory  of  tlioso  who  Imvo  laid  down  their  lives  in 
the  defense  of  some  yreal  ])riii(i|)le.  oi-  are  to- 
day sufTerinfr  atllictions  as  a  result  of  battles  in 
the  defense  of  some  f>;reat  ])rincij)l(',  surely  we  are 
too  near  the  noontide  of  Clirislinn  civilization  to 
undertake  more  at  most  than  the  rudiments  of 
military  drill  in  the  puljlie  schools.  It  is  to  be 
feared  that  those  who  in  the  advocacy  of  this 
plan  plead  that  ■  e  war.s])irit  is  not  associated 
with  it  in  the  estimation  of  th(>  young  boy  have  not 
quite  sufficiently  recognized  the  subtle  thrift  of 
the  Cain-lifo. 

Humanity  s  greatest  astonishment  and  acclaim 
awaits  the  exhibition  of  a  great  national  or  inter- 
national   CONSCIENCE.       See   how    the   pcyple   of 
America  fosj-ect  the  Society  of    Friends.     Who 
jeers  at  the  Quaker  for  affirming   rather   than 
swearing  in   court?    What    a   gentle   respcfit   Is 
offered  to  fhe  plain  garb  of  this  man  who  believes 
in  saying  "thee"  and  "thou."     Those  who  be- 
lieve in  voting  as  i.  religious  duty  would  not,  and 
those  who  believe  ni  it  as  an  election  dodge  dare 
not    "egg"    tho    Quaker   if  he    refuse   to   vote. 
Why  this  respect  equivalent  to  deference?     Ah! 
there  is  a  groat  expression  of  a  great  conscience 
in  the  Quaker's  customs.     Get  that  into  the  na- 
tion.    Let  there  be  brought  on  a  Revival  which 
shall    truly   make    the    conscience    Christly    and 


lion  or  tho 
cir  lives  in 
)!•   aro  to- 

battles  in 
'ly  we  are 
ization  to 
liiiients  of 
t  is  to  be 
■y  of  this 
assoeiated 
y  liave  not 

Ihrifl   of 

1(1  acelaim 
1  or  intor- 
pcyple  of 
ds.  Who 
thor  than 
■esperit  Is 
o  believes 
?  who  be- 
not,  and 
jdge  dare 
to  vote, 
ce?  Ah! 
onscience 
3  the  na- 
zal which 
stiy    and 


Till-:    ifASTHnV  OF  VlllUST 


u 


Ameriea's  very  eharaeter  would  be  witrlh  more 
in  a  minute  than  her  eaiiiion  would  be  worth  in  a 
millenium  for  the  savinj^  of  the  poor  Armenians 
from  the  terror  of  the  unspeakable  Turk. 

In  the  heif^hls  of  oiii-  national  ideals  lei  the 
^low  of  Peaee  stream  tlu'ou<i;h  a  eleansed  con- 
HCIKNCK  and  war  shall  forever  cease, 

B.  Jesus  is  Lord  of  the  Home.  The  family  which 
is  really  at  tho  base  of  all  social  conditions  is 
being  assaulted  in  our  day  by  the  most  dangerous 
enemies  boll,  to  it  and  to  Christ.  This  magnet 
which  attracts  men  and  women  over  land  and 
over  sea,  this  .secret  place  where  of  all  others  men 
would  chose  to  lay  down  their  heads  in  death; 
this  tree  of  life  "whos(>  protecting  boughs  touch 
the  morning  on  one  side  and  the  eveniuir  on  the 
other,"  "home,  home,  sweet  home."  My  brother, 
let  Christ  into  your  home.  He  had  no  home- 
stead  upon  earth,  bid  him  welcome  to  yours. 
Practices  of  divorce  have  become  so  common  that 
the  superintendent  of  the  National  Hureau  of 
Reforms  in  Washington  recently  said.  "Between 
the  contemporaneous  polygamy  of  the  Turkish 
harem  and  the  consecutive  polygamy  of  American 
'divorce  colony'  there  is  only  tho  ditferonce 
between  the  span  and  the  tandem. "  In  this  same 
record  Mr.  Crafts  says  a  man  r(>cently  secured  a 
divorce  in  a  city  of  the  west  after  three  months' 
residence,  and  on  the  same  day  married  a  woman 


I- 

r 


if 


mmnmiimmimm^imemmmmi^ 


A' i 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


^^  m 

Hi   wm 

^   1^    12.0 


1.8 


1.25      u      16 

^ 6" 

». 

V2 


<? 


/} 


/ 


7 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  !4S80 

(716)  872-4503 


\ 


iV 


•O' 


\\ 


% 


v 


-!^.'*. 


<^ 


;\ 


<^ 


>> 


tie    „    my 


V 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductlons  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historlques 


\  ^O 


80 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


whom  he  had  brought  with  him  from  abroad  for 
that  purpose,  who  had  been  his  companion  during 
his  three  months'  waiting.  And  some  of  the  records 
of  the  statements  of  even  legislators  concerning 
this  question  would  startle  the  nation  terribly 
were  we  not  so  afflicted  with  the  mercantile  spirit. 
The  missionaries  who  return  to  this  country 
are  calling  our  attention  to  the  fact  that  family 
prayers  are  falling  into  disuse  in  American 
homes.  The  plea  is  sometimes  made  that  modern 
conditions  of  business  and  city  life  render  this 
custom  impracticable.  And  it  is  therefore  hoped 
that  its  disuse  does  not  imply  any  particular 
relapse  in  morals.  But  modern  methods  of  busi- 
ness and  of  travel  permit  wonderful  activities  in 
games  of  cards,  in  theater-going,  in  dancing  and 
such  like.  Modern  methods  of  business  and 
travel  do  not  prevent  attending  to  the  holidays, 
to  the  sick  and  to  funerals.  It  is  true  that  the 
hospital,  a  direct  product  of  Christianity,  is 
assisting  wonderfully  in  the  care  of  the  sick,  but 
not  generally  to  the  exclusion  of  a  studied  home 
interest  in  the  afflicted  loved  ones.  And,  more- 
over, men  of  vast  business  pursuits  are  conduct- 
ing family  prayers  twice  a  day  in  their  homes.  I 
fear  that  the  cause  of  this  neglect  is  not  in  meth- 
ods of  business  or  travel,  but  in  fevered  mer- 
cantile spirit,  which  will  not  give  time  to  the 
blessedness  or  which  fears  the  searching  of  family 


THE  MASTERy  OF  CHRIST 


87 


prayers.  Let  us  change  the  custom.  Let  Christ 
into  the  home;  have  a  brief  season  of  steady  wor- 
ship. Let  him  be  at  our  dinner  tables,  let  him 
talv-e  our  little  ones  up  in  his  arms,  let  him  com- 
fort our  troubled  ones  and  stand  by  the  coffins  of 
our  dead.  Our  dedicated  homes  shall  be  the 
dwelling  places  of  our  Christ — his  Bethauies. 

6.  But  now  let  me  ask  you  to  consider  the 
vital  question  which  has  resulted  from  all  the 
other  questions  connected  with  this  opposition  to 
Christ.  It  is  this :  We  have  crowded  him  out  of 
the  heart.  Get  Christ  truly  enthroned  in  your 
heart  and  you  will  find  his  claim  as  constant  as 
the  passing  moments  of  your  life.  You  will  sleep 
in  him  by  night,  and  awaken  to  serve  him  by  day. 
Your  business  affairs  and  your  social  relations  will 
know  the  very  moulding  of  his  own  hands.  We 
can  not  have  Christian  nations  unless  we  have 
Christian  individuals.  We  can  not  have  Christian 
cities  unless  we  have  Christian  citizens. 

And  no  amount  of  legislation  about  the  home  or 
the  church  or  the  nation  can  find  its  way  in  to 
victory  when  Christ  is  crowded  out  of  the  heart. 
Divorces  may  decrease  but  adultery  will  increase 
unless  the  heart  has  turned  from  ' '  self "  to  Christ. 
This  awful  night-covered,  sly,  Scripture-con- 
demned sin  of  our  day,  leaving  limp  and  crushed 
lives  all  along  the  path  of  its  indulgence  and  lock- 
ing up  the  doors  of  hope  in  the  very  faces  of 


88 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFK 


ostracized  maidens  wliile  the  very  movement  of 
the  same  lock  swings  full  wide-open  the  doors  of 
liberty  to  passion-heated  men  right  beside  them, 
can  never  be  mastered  and  cast  out  saving  by  Him 
who  casts  out  devils  living  in  the  heart.  My 
brother,  give  Christ  your  heart.  Sound  the 
depths  of  your  being  with  his  help,  find  there  the 
power  to  love  or  hate,  to  be  true  or  untrue,  and 
loyally  surrender  yourself.  Hear  Him  saying 
unto  you,  --My  son,  give  mo  thy  heart."  What 
the  rainbow  is  to  the  storm,  what  the  parlor  is  to 
the  house,  what  the  mother  is  to  the  family,  that 
the  heart  is  to  the  man.  I  beseech  of  you  think 
the  best  thoughts  you  can  gather,  cherish  the 
best  feelings  of  which  you  are  capable,  raise  your 
ambitions  to  the  highest  altitude  possible;  but 
remember  Christ  alone  can  be  the  inspiration  of 
that  which  is  good.  Start  here.  Do  not  try  so 
much  to  be  good  as  to  be  loyal  to  Christ. 

When  T  was  a  boy  I  heard  a  story  of  a  young 
woman  who  engaged  to  marry  a  rich  young  man. 
As  the  time  a2)pointed  for  the  wedding  drew  near 
the  young  man's  business  affairs  were  ruined. 
Soon  as  the  bankruptcy  came  he  wrote  the  young 
woman  telling  her  that  he  would  release  her  hon- 
orably from  her  engagement  to  marry  him,  and 
assuring  her  that  it  was  only  because  he  had  lost 
his  property.  She  replied  to  his  letter,  saying 
that  she  did  not  engage  to  mari"y  him  because  of 


%_ 


/ 


THE  MASTER  y  OB'  CHIilST 


89 


saying 


his  property,  but  because  she  loved  him,  and  in 
the  days  of  his  greater  prosperity  he  had  given 
her  a  nugget  of  gold  which  was  rich  enough  to 
provide  necessities  for  the  wedding  and  some  con- 
veniences for  the  home,  that  she  was  willing  to 
abide  by  the  engagement  and  assist  him  in  the 
struggle  out  of  his  debts.  The  engagement  was 
continued  and  the  marriage  occurred.  That 
young  woman  had  given  that  young  man  her 
heart.  And  I  would  have  you  to-day  give  your- 
self to  Christ  poorer  or  richer,  more  or  less  com- 
fortable, honored  or  dishonored.  See.  see  his 
beauty !  Hearken,  it  is  he  that  speaks  so  tenderly 
to  your  soul  to-day,   "Give  me  thy  heart." 

"'Pears  to  me,"  said  the  old  colored  woman 
who  was  being  taught  by  the  missionary  to  read, 
and  who  found  herself  very  slow  at  learning, 
"  'pears  to  me  I  could  get  along  better  if  you  jes' 
learn  me  the  word  '  Jesus  '  first.  '  Pears  to  me 
everything  would  come  in  sort  o'  natural  after- 
ward." Her  philosophy  was  right,  whether  its 
application  could  be  realized  or  not.  Jesus 
first,  and  everything  will  find  its  place  in  due  or- 
der. Give  him  your  heart.  O.  tllat  the  crude 
statement  of  the  Scotch  miner  might  be  the  very 
soul  expression  of  all  who  read  this.  The  man 
had  never  been  out  of  the  mining  regions  before. 
He  came  to  the  great  city  and  in  the  first  meet, 
ing  undertook  (what  I  wish  you  would  all  do)  to 


M 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


testify.  After  apologizing  for  his  rough  uppcar- 
ance  and  imperfect  language,  he  pausod  a  mo- 
ment, then,  with  tears  in  his  eyes  cried  out: 
"But  my  Jesus,  he's  a  beauty." 

Now  calmly  tell  me,  dear  reader,  have  you  ever 
been  mastered  ?  And  who  is  your  master  ?  Deep 
as  the  depths  of  your  soul,  may  you  find  the 
answer  coming  to  your  lips  to-day,  I  have  one 
Master  even  Jesus  Christ. 


1  iippcai'- 
'd  a  mo- 
riocl  out: 


you  ever 
•  ?  Deep 
find  the 
tiave  one 


ETCHINGS  OF  THE  RE- 
DEMPTIVE IDEA. 


amr- 


•m 


"  Tho  people's  heart  Is  like  a  harp  for  years 
Hun'*  where  some  peirifyiiif,'  tDrront  rains 
Its  slow-encrustin}^  spray;  the  siilTened  chords 

Faint  and  more  fiiint  make  answer  to  tho  tears 
That  drip  upon  them;  idle  are  all  words; 
Only  a  golden  ph'ctrum  wakes  the  tone 
Deep  buried  "neath  that  over- thickening  atone." 

— James  Russell  Lmeell. 

"  The  Son  ok  (Jod  who  loved  me  am>  gave  Himself 
UP  FOK  ME." — Onlalhms  II:  20. 

"  Say  to  men.  Come,  suffer;  you  will  hunger  ^ind 
thirst;  you  will,  perhaps,  be  deceived,  bo  betrayed, 
cursed;  but  you  have  a  great  duty  to  accomplish;  they 
will  be  deaf,  perhaps,  for  a  long  time  to  the  severe  voice 
of  virtue;  but  on  the  day  that  they  do  come  to  you,  they 
will  come  as  heroes,  and  will  be  invincible." 

— Joseph  Mazzini. 

"  How  unspeakably  precious  Jesus  has  been." 

— Last  words  of  Bev.  S.  A.  Keen,  D.D. 

"  You  sinned!"  I  cried  in  righteous  scorn, 
"  None  will  forget  the  stain;" 
I  turned  aside,  ho  crept  awrty 
And  went  to  sin  again. 

"  You  sinned!"  I  .said  in  pitying  tones, 

As  love  my  wrath  o'erbore, 
"  But  God  and  I  forgive;"  he  rose 

And  went  to  sin  no  more. 


JL 


/ 


rs 


'.ords 
10  toars 


'  stone." 
ell  Loni'cU. 

i  Himself 


ingor  ,'ind 
betrayed, 
lish;  they 
vero  voice 
you,  they 

'i  Muzzini. 

Zeen,  D.D. 
a. 


ETCHINGS    OF    THE    REDEMPTIVE 
IDEA. 

J    KAW  the  lo.vest  rung  on  the  ladder  of  redemp. 
tion  in  the  window  of  a  pawn-broi<er's  shop 
one  day.     There  were  scores  of  tickets  hung  up 
there,     upon    which    was    printed  "  unredeemed 
watches  for  sale."     And  I  thought,  to  be  sure, 
there  is  the  redemption  of  a  watch.     Some  man 
either  out  of  necessity  or  perhaps  for  vice  has 
come  to  this  place  to  pawn  his  watch  and  lie  has 
never  come  back  again   to  pay  the  money  with 
interest  as  the  i-edemption  price  of  the  article 
So  they  called  the  watch  unredeemed.     But  sup- 
posing  it  were  redeemed,    even   then,    it  would 
represent  a  very,  very  low  grade  of  redemption 
Perhaps  live  dollars  would  be   the  price.     Tlien 
when  you  have  redeemed  it,  if  it  goes  too  slow 
you  may  miss  a  train  on  account  of  it  and  thus 
miss  the  receiving  of  much  more  money  than  its 
redemption  price.     Or  supposing  il  goes  too  fast 
you  may  administer  drops  of  medicine  too  quickly 
to  your  sick  friend  and  cause  his  death;  and  af 
best  It  is  only  a  watch.     And  I  fear  that  even  so 
small  a  thing  as  a  watch  has  declined  many  a 
soul  from  a  singleness  of  puri,ose  to  glorify  God 


JL 


f' 


our  OF  THE  CAIS-UFE 


Yet  if  I  woro  td  pay  the  nMlomption  price  and 
hand  you  your  watch  today,  had  you  boon  com- 
polled  to  pawn  it,  how  you  would  tliank  nic  and 
tell  your  friends,  too,  of  what  you  would  call  a 
groat  act  of  kindness.  Can  it  be  possible  that 
you  have  never  really  looked  up  to  the  Christ  that 
has  redeemed  us,  and  said  "thank  you?" 

Let  us  now  step  upon  a  higher  rung  of  the  ladder 
of  redemption,  for  you  know,  every  subject  requires 
to  be  looked  at  from  the  proj)er  standpoint,  and 
step  by  step  we  may  come  into  the  richer  treas- 
ures of  this  subject,  just  as  the  person  who  be- 
gins to  play  the  piano  plays  first  with  one  finger, 
then  with  one  hand,  then  with  both  hands  and 
so  on  until  she  becomes  a  successful  musician, 
charming  the  very  harmony  out  of  the  instru- 
ment. 

Here  tlien  is  the  second  rung  of  the  ladder  of 
redemption.  A  poor  widow  lives  in  a  cottage  set- 
tled on  a  narrow  strip  of  land  at  the  edge  of  the 
city.  Both  the  land  and  the  cottage  are  encum- 
bered with  a  heavy  mortgage.  The  little  daugh- 
ter, borrowing  her  mother's  features  and  growing 
into  young  womanhood,  has  resolved  to  redeem 
the  property  from  the  mortgage.  She  studies 
diligently  until  she  becomes  a  waf/e-oarner  and 
with  great  economy  and  willingness  she  finds  her- 
self able  to  pay  one  hundred  dollars  on  the  mort- 
gage at  the  end  of  the  first  year.     At  the  end  of 


'A 


■r^ 


. ) 


i"iriiiMis  Ob'  Till-:  UEUKMi-vni.:  imiA 


«rt 


the  second  your  licr  fidi'lity  is  rowunlcd  will,  tlio 
ability  to  pay  twice  us  inucii.      IJ,.r  siek   muthor 
docs  not  know    lliut    tlie    duiifrlit,.,-     is    ivcrivinfr 
more  than  burely  enoi.frl,  to  puy   for  tju"  fuel  und 
groceries  and  clothing  wl.ieh   tliey  n.vd,  but  now 
ufew  yours  huvc  sped  uwuy  and  tlie  duuglit.r  en- 
tering the  do..r  of  the  modest  little   home    in  the 
evening  twilioht    ciu-ries  the   fold,.,!   pup,.r  which 
has  been  against  the  property  all  these  years  and 
places  it  in  the  hands  of  \nn-  feeble  mother    Witli 
great  surprise  tlie  mother  inquires.  •  -Wliat  is  this, 
my  daughter  ?  "     Quick  us  thought  the  daughter 
turns  to  get  hermotlu.r's  spectucles  and  bids  her 
read  it;  but  the  mother  can  not  read  the  writing 
easily  and  in  her  eagerness   cries  out,   "Tell  ine 
daughter,  what  it  is.  •     Then  comes  the  surprising 
answer,    "Mother,    this   is  the    mortgage.      The 
property   is  redeemed.     Our   house   and  lot  are 
free."     What  mother  would  not  press  the  ch.-eks 
of  her  daughter  between  her  .soft  hands   and  kiss 
her  lips  again  and  again,  at  the  thought  of  such 
kindness  and   fidelity  as  this  daugiiter   showed. 
My  friend,  if  one  were  thus  to  redeem  your  prop- 
erty  for  you,  would  you  not  thank  him,  would  you 
not  talk  of  him  to  your  friends,  and  for  days  to- 
gather,  and  on  special  days  for  y.nirs  woulu  it  not 
be  the  burden  of  your  conversation,  he  redeemed 
the  property  for  me,  he   surprised  me   with  his 
kindness,  now  hard  he  toiled,  how  willing  he  was, 


-rrf. 


■'if 


n 


U- 


how  loviii^rly  ho  ,iiu  it.     Yot  the  price  of  th«  re- 
(lemptlon,  tliough  very  much  gmitor  tluiii  that  of 
the  watch  at  the  .puwnbrokoi-'.s  shop,  is  by  far  less 
than  tJic   frrputest   conceivable   price  to  bo  paid, 
whih>  that  daughter  luvs  h'urned  many  h^ssons  of 
economy  and  of  diiig(>nce  which    will  be   worth 
more  than  gold  or  silver  to  her  character.    Kvery 
hour  of   that   toiling  was  a  contribution  to  her 
soul  If  performed  in  the  true  spirit.  Then,  too,  the 
house  may  be  burned    to  ashes  to-night,  or  the 
tornado  may   swe..p   it  away,  or  an   earthquake 
may  swallow  it  up,  or    the  poor  widow  may  be- 
come so  delighted  with   the  homo  on  earth  free 
from  encumbrances  as  to  cause  her  to  neglect  the 
title  to  a  home  otT  one  of  the  golden  streets  of  the 
New  Jerusalem.     Yes,  indeed,  a  beautiful   act  of 
redemption   has  been  performed,  but  there  Is  a 
higher. 

Now  let  us  step  up  another  rung  of  this  ladder 
and  look  upon  redemption  as  the  Jews  viewed  it. 
Peter  evidently  refers  to  their  custom  of  redemp- 
tion, when  he  says,  "Ye  are  not  redoomed  with 
corruptible  things  such  as  silver  and  gold;"  when 
the  Jewish  child  was  thirty  days  of  age,  the 
father  would  carry  it  to  the  priest  and  present 
with  it  thirty  pieces  of  silver  as  a  redemptive  of- 
fering. Then  the  priest  would  swing  the  thirty 
pieces  of  silver  about  the  head  of  the  child  and 
ask  the  father  whether  he  would  have  the  child  or 


KTCIIIXus  Of  Tin:  UmtHMl'TIVt:  IDEA 


07 


jf  tho   re- 
laii  that  of 
by  fur  less 
J  bo  paid, 
lossoiis  of 
bo    worth 
•i".    Every 
on  to  her 
1,  too,  the 
it,  or  the 
irthquake 
iriiiy  bc- 
arth  free 
gleet  the 
ets  of  tlio 
ul  act  of 
liere  is  a 

lis  ladder 
iewod  it, 

redemp- 
ned  with 
:1;"  when 
age,    the 

present 
ptive  of- 
le  thirty 
hild  and 

child  or 


the  money.     The  father  answered,  u  small  meal 
was   partaken   .,f.    (j,,.   .....lu.y  was  p!»,,.d   i„   tin, 

treasury  of  the  temple  aiul  the  ehild  was  said  to 
t>o  redeemed,      Tlien  followeil  eertain  rite.s  of  ,sae- 
'•ifiee  of  animals  in  due  time.      FTrre  the  nnlemp- 
tion  does  not  eoncern  a  wateh  or  house  and  lot, 
••lit  a  little  inn..eont  ehild.    The  child  i.«,  dedicated 
witli  fatherly  regard  in  tlie  interest  of  tlie  relig- 
i'>»  of  Jehovah,  and  out  of  respect  to   his  cove- 
nant, it  is  tlierefon>  called  a  redeemed  child.    But 
how  many  redeemed  Jewish  children  told  false- 
hoods and  turned  traitors  against  their  parents; 
and  the  price,  tliirty  pieces  of  silver,  lovingly  de- 
posited   is  at  best  only  a  little  money.     l"  think 
it  is  n..t  a  hard  task  for  that  father  to  leave  the 
•lording  of  his  sheep  or  his  plowing  in  the  hot 
•sun,  to  don  clean    garments  and  make  his  way  to 
the  priest,  carrying  witli  him  the  sweet  balie  he 
loves,  yet,  what  call  for  gratitude  is  involved  in 
this  act.     Here  is  a  man  with  heathen  nations  all 
about  him,  pleading  the  interests  of  his  own  little 
child,  when  tlie  ehild  is  too  young  to  plead  for  it- 
self; reeogni/.ing  for  the  child  the  true  God,  when 
tiie  child  is  so  young  tliat  it  can  not  express  any 
personal    recognition    and    paying    with  joy   the 
price  of  toil,  tlie  i-edemption  of  the  little  one. 

One  act  of  my  mother's  before  I  was  twelve 
years  of  age  has  stirred  my  soul  hundreds  of  times, 
until  T  have  fairly  wept  with   gratitude  at   the 


t^' 


-Ml! 


iff 


-W 


m 


98 


OUT  OF  Tin:  CA IX. LIFE 


thought  of  hov  d.'Od.  .\,Kl  shall  I  not  say  "thank 
you  "  to  Christ,  who  rodoomod  mo  boforo  I  had  yet 
had  my  first  strugglo  with  sin,  that  I  might' bo 
counted  among  the  victors  of  his  blood?  O,  soul 
of  mine,  thou  must  approoiuto  rodomption.  Chris- 
tian l^odcmption.  Como,  study  it,  lot  it  breathe 
its  meaning  into  thy  life.  Rodoemod,  redeemed, 
redeemed ! 

Still  higher.      Let  us  look  upon  redemption  as 
it   was    illustrated    when   nearly  four  millions  of 
slaves  wore  set  free  in  the  United  States.      Many 
of  these  men  had  been  uoeustomod  to  being  shipped 
to  and  fro  in  dry-goods  bo.xes  as  chattels  or  things, 
they  had  been  sold  at  public  auction,  they  h'iid 
been  goadou  to  their  tasks  and  belittled  by  their 
enslavo'.nont.      The  question  of  their  rodomption 
began  to  flood  the  mind  and  soul  of  such  men  as 
Gp-rrison  and  Phillips  and  Boecher  and   Lincoln 
m.'til  it  burst  forth  like  a  healing  fountain.     It 
was  a   question    as    to  whether   men   should   be 
chained  to  heavy  balls  or  allowed  to  beat  liberty, 
whethev  they  should  l)o  lashed  over  the   back  iii 
the  hot  sun  or  find  the  quiet  retreat  of  a  shade 
tree   for    rest— slavery    or    freedom.      And    the 
price  of   their   redemption  ?     "\^ho   can    tell   it  ? 
What    mother's     tears      fall     silently     in     the 
evening  twilight  from  her  uplif-  •(!   eyes?     What 
father's  lieart-boats  may  bo  heard  above  the  mild 
breezes    of   the   summer   morning    'lOurs   as   he 


ETCHlXaS  OF  THE  REDEMPTIVE  IDEA       99 


5uy  "thank 
I'o  I  had  yet 
T  might  be 
:1?  O,  soul 
tion,  Chris- 
t  it  breathe 
vedoemed, 

?mption  as 
millions  of 
OS.     Many 
ng  shipped 
'  or  thincfs, 
,  they  had 
d  by  their 
•edemptioii 
3h  men  as 
d   Lincoln 
ntain.     It 
should    be 
at  liberty, 
e   back  in 
f  a  shade 
And    the 
1    tell   it? 
in     the 
s?     What 
'  the  mild 
irs   as   he 


stands  lost  in  the  imagination  that  he  hears  the 
footsteps  of  his  returning  soldier  boy?  What  lover 
loses  heart   and   rickens,  or  with   broken   heart 
dies?     What  gaps  in  family  circles?  What  noises 
of  distres.s  mingle  with  the  gloom  of  dark  days  of 
home-sickness  among  sick  and  wounded  soldiers? 
What  mornings  are  refused  the   glory  of  sunrise 
because  the  smoke  of  battle  fights  back  the  light 
of   God?     What   blood    stains    the    torn  earth? 
What  graves  are  these  over  which  the  flowers  are 
strewn  In  springtime?     What  flags  and  emblems 
are  torn  and  trampled  under  the  feet  of  frenzied 
war-horses?      What    old    hymn-books    sent    by 
Christiar  people  to  the  battle  front  are  nowadays 
taken  down  by  the  newly  converted  old  soldier 
tliat    he    may  sing    this    time    from  the   heart, 
"Sweet  hour  of  prayer,"  or  "There  is  a  happy 
land  ?  " 

Louis  Beaudry  said  that  he  learned  to  sing 
"There  is  a  happy  land"  another  way  after 
being  in  Libby  prison  and  hearing  Sunday-school 
children  through  the  window  sing  it  together  one 
morning.  They  sang,  "There  U  a  happy  land, 
far,  far  away,"  but  now,  said  he,  since  I  have 
learned  a  deeper  love  of  God  I  sing  it,  there 
is  a  happy  land  not  far  away,  and  I  do  not  weep 
singing  it  now  as  I  did  that  morning.  What 
angels  are  these  who  watch  the  homes  of 
patient   widows   and    bereaved     children    whose 


*«> 


loo 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


husbands   antljathers  knew   no  better   way  of 
deliverance  than  war? 

But  the  emancipation  of  the  slave  has  never 
yet  proven  a  success  in  the  widest  sense,  and  in- 
deed we  can  not  point  to  a  great  emancipation  in 
history  which  has    proven    a  thorough   success. 
The   grci^test  undertaking  of  the  kind  perhaps 
ever  reported  was  that  of  leading  the  Jews  out  of 
the  bondage  of  Egypt,  but  the  Jew  to  this  day  has 
never  been  a  national  success.    He  wanders  about 
in  ten  thousand  cities,  yet  he  does  not  gather  'v:*h 
his  own  follows  to  settle  as  a  people  in  one  nation. 
He   substitutes   a  sort   of    moral    rectitude  for 
the    teachings    of    Abraham    or    Moses  as  well 
as    tlioso    of    Jesus.       Sadly    down    the    path 
of  history  has  the  Jew  been  walking,  more  than  a 
mere  pantomime  of  prophecy.     He  has  been  a 
fulfillment  of  it.     So  here  the  colored  nan  is  out 
of  the  dry  goods  box,  he  is  unchained  irom  the 
ball,  the  lashes  do  not  smart  his  weary  shoulders, 
and  with  the  exception  of  some  very  rad  c?>  es  of 
abuse  yet  existing,   he  does  not  suffer  the  sting 
of  opposition  and  degradation  he  once  did,  but  he 
is  shrouded  in  darkness,  he  is  the  subject  of  the 
proclamruinn  of  emancipation,  but  the  best  repre- 
sentatives of  his  own  race  proclaim  with  eloquence 
and    tears    that    he    needs   the   proclamation  o. 
divine  redemption.    He  is  free  at  certain  points, 
but    his   mind    is    captivated  with  centuries   c» 


m 


> 


f 


islk. 


•   way  of 

as  never 
!,  and  in- 
pation  in 

success. 

perhaps 
vs  out  of 
s  day  has 
n-s  about 
her  'v:*h 
!  nation, 
tude  for 

as  well 
le  path 
e  than  a 

been  a 
n  is  out 
'om  the 
3ulders, 
:?.ses  of 
le  sting 

but  he 

of  the 
i  rep.re- 
•quence 
tion  01 
pojnls, 
ries   c*' 


^ 


f 


J-JWHIXas  OF  THE  REDEMPTIVE  IDEA     Un 

ignorance,  hi.s  body  is  captivated  with  cen^^ 
of    MKlulgence,    aud  Ins   soul    with   centuries    of 
«>n      The  war  produced  a    great    emancipation 
but   ,t   dKl    not    pr,  ducc    the    emancipation    of 
the  colored  man  from  selfishness.     And  many  a 
man  who  went  forth  in  that  war  went  not  forth 
With    the    ccmception    of    liberating    the  slave 
many  a  soldier  doubtless  knew  no  great  tide  oi 
philanthropy  filling  his  soul  as  he  enlisted      Yet 
liad  you  or  I  been  one  of  those  colored  slaves,  how 
we  would  bless  the  memory  of  the  man  who  came 
to   set  us  frc_^   how  we  would  talk  of  it  in  our 
households,  how  we  would  vie  with  each  other  to 
sliow  the  deepest  g.atitude. 

William  Lloyd  Garrison   tells  the  following  in- 
cident concerning  these  people:  Toward  evening  he 
went  out  to  the  adjacent  camp  of   the  Fifty-fifth 
Massachusetts     (colored)      .-ogiment.       Crowded 
around  were  the  plantation   "hand.s,-  clothed  in 
the  rags  and  ignorance  inherited  from  tne  dead  in- 
iquity. "  Well, "cried  Mr.  Garri.son,  ''youarefree 
at  last.     Let  us  give  three  cheers."     He  led  off 
To  his  utter  amazement  there  was  no  response. 
The  poor  creatures  looked  at  him  wfth  a  surprise 
^qual  to  his  own.     He  had  to  give  the  second  and 
th.rd  cheers  also  without  them.     They  did  not 
know   how   to   cheer.       But   they  have   learned 
how.     How  they  do  talk  about  father  Abraham 
Come  soul  of  mine,  talk  about  Jesus.     Rouse  thee 


M\ 


rouse  thee,  if  thou  hast  any  sense  of  gratitude 
left  or  to  be  attained,  express  it  here.  Christ 
hath  redeemed  thee.     Redeemed,  redeemed  I 

I  am  going  to  aslc  you  shortly  to  step  up  another 
rung  of  this  great  ladder  of  redemption,  and  we 
can  only  step  there  because  Christ  has  come  and 
the  Scriptures  have  been  given.  I  am  going  to 
ask  you  to  view  Christian  Ridemption.  We  could 
not  think  of  stepping  up  there  without  the  Christ 
and  the  revelation,  for  we  knowof  nothing  human 
which  corresponds  with  the  redemptive  thought 
announced  and  lived  out  by  Jesus  Christ.  Caisar 
wanted  his  throne  with  ten  thousand  soldiers 
to  give  it  to  him.  Romulus  slew  thousands  of 
people  that  he  might  be  exalted  as  a  great  man 
among  men.  Alexander  wept  because  he  could  lay 
no  more  people  tribute  to  his  vain-glory.  This  is 
true  of  the  ambitions  of  the  natural  man.  Pro- 
fessor Huxley  said  in  one  of  his  late  utterances, 
"The  survival  of  the  fittest  by  no  means  implies 
the  survival  of  the  best."  Indeed  it  does  not. 
Humanity's  survivals  have  been  survivals  of  ma- 
lice and  hatred  and  brute  force,  with  occasional 
splendid  exceptions  which  snow  us  gleamings  of 
that  light  which  lighteth  every  man  coming  into 
the  world.  Humanity's  survivals  among  the 
Chinese  will  slay  the  female  child,  and  among  the 
Hindoo  will  insist  upon  child-widowhood,  a.id 
among  the  North  American  Indians  will  leave  the 


.»» — . 


ETCIHXGS  OF  THE  REDEMPTIVE  IDEA 


f  gratitude 
[•e.     Christ 
emed  I 
up  another 
on,  and  we 
s  come  and 
n  going  to 
We  could 
the  Christ 
ing  human 
'^e  thought 
St.    Caisar 
id   soldiers 
ousands  of 
great  man 
e  could  lay 
y.     This  is 
lan.     Pro- 
itterances, 
ns  implies 
does  not. 
als  of  ma- 
occasional 
amings  of 
ming  into 
nong    the 
imong  the 
lood,    a.id 
leave  the 


old  man  to  die  by  the  trail  because  he  can  not  keep 
up  in  the  hunting  race.    Humanity's  best  general 
production   of   a    redemptive    mark    has    never 
reached  the  mark  of  unselfishness.     O,  I  wish  we 
might  conceive  how  Christ  tninsformed  the  idea 
of  what  it  is  to  be  great.    Do  you  not  see  how  He 
substituted  the  life  of  service  for  the  life  of  domi- 
neering.    What  bravery  of  faith,  what  gentleness 
of  love  are  seen  plain  as  the   light  of  day  in  his 
doing  what  we  would  call  the  greatest  of  during 
as  he  takes  the  lowliest  place  and  perf<n-ms  the 
completest  of  service,  even  going  so  far  as  to  take 
the  position  of  a  slave  and  washing  the  disciples' 
feet.       And    let   us  never    forget— will    not   the 
reader  pause  to  consider,  what  Jesus  says  about 
this  event  of  the  feet-washing.     '-Jesus  knowing 
that   the  Father  had  given  all    things  into  his 
hands,  and   that   lie   came   forth   from  God  and 
goeth  unto  God,    riseth   from   supper,"   then  he 
proceeds  to  wash  their  feet.     When  his  perfect 
consciousness  of  his  divinity  is  at  full  height,  when 
he  is  truest  in  his  representation  of  God  himself, 
knowing  that  he  came  forth  and  knowing  that  he 
is  to  return  unto  the  Father,  he  proceeds  to  the 
service  of  a  slave.     He  not  only  came  as  a  man. 
He  came  as  our  man.     He  touches  us  and  com- 
pletely reverses  the  idea  of  what  it  is  to  be  man- 
ly, and  it  is  said  the  Father  gave  Him  authority 
to  execute  judgment  because  He  is  the  Son  of 


•»i> 


! 


104 


orr  OF  THE  vaik-lifi: 


man.  It  is  plain  that  there  is  no  (.'ontradiction 
but  rather  the  completest  agreement  in  the  di- 
vine nature  and  the  spirit  of  readiest  service  whicli 
can  find  way  into  our  hearts.  God  lias  always 
been  saerifieial  and  Christ  was  the  expression  of 
that,  and  when  we  become  godly  we  shall  be  sac- 
rificial. Now  Ijear  in  mind  this  bent  of  character 
is  not  yet  common  to  humanity.  Bring  the  best 
apparent  constructions  of  the  redemptive  act  and 
lift  the  hatchways  and  look  well  down  into  your 
construction  and  you  will  find  stoi-ed  away  some- 
where in  the  hold  of  the  vessel  that  sly  tramp 
called  self.  It  is  not  so  wonderful  that  Jesus 
should  come  to  die  for  sinners  when  viewed  from 
the  standpoint  of  his  own  teaching;  it  would  have 
been  wonderful  had  he  not  come.  But  from  my 
standpoint,  with  the  strong  disposition  of  the  self- 
life,  it  is  the  marvel  of  marvels. 


trudiction 
in  the  di- 
vice  whifli 
as  always 
I'ossion  of 
ill  be  sac- 
character 
f  the  best 
e  act  and 
into  your 
i'ay  some- 
sly  tramp 
lat  Jesus 
wed  from 
ould  have 
from  my 
f  the  self- 


CHRISTIAN    REDEMPTION. 


"In  taking  our  natiirt-  into  union  with  his  own,  lioU 
conferred  the  rarost  and  Lijrlio.st  honor  on  humanity,  so, 
since  ho  redocnu'd  men  with  the  blood  of  his  Son,  the 
highest  angels  do  not  wear  crowns  so  bright  as  the  thief 
on  the  cross  and  the  woniitn  that  was  a  sinner.  As  in 
the  families  of  men  the  youn!,n'st  cliild  is  seated  l)y  day 
next  to  its  father,  and  lies  closest  by  night  to  its 
mother's  breast;  as  in  the  material  heaven  it  is  not  the 
largest  but  the  smallest  planets  that  revolve  in  orbits 
nearest  to  the  sun;  so,  in  consequence  of  redeeming 
love,  though  in  his  original  position  inferior  to  the 
angels,  man  occupies  in  the  family  of  God,  and  in  those 
heavens  of  which  the  visible  are  but  |the  starry  pave- 
ment, a  place  nearest  to  the  throne.  And  by  the  law 
that  to  whom  much  is  given  of  them  shall  much  bo 
required,  those  whom  CJod  has  most  loved  are  most 
bound  to  love;  those  whom  ho  has  most  glorified  are 
most  bound  to  glorify  him." — Tlwinas  Onthrlc. 

"  Knowlnu  that  ye  were  reileenml,  not  tvlth  corruptible 
thlims,  tvlth  silver  or  yokJ,  from  your  vain  manner.of  life 
handed  dmm  from  your  fathers,  but  with  jireclous  blorxl, 
as  of  a  Iwnb  lolthout  blvmMi  and  without  spot,  even  the 
blood  of  Christ;  who  was  foreknoum  Indeed  before  Ote 
foundtitUm  of  the  world,  but  was  manifested  at  the  end  of 
the  times  for  your  sake.— I.  Peter  i:  18,  19,  30.  (R.  V.) 

"  Thou  didst  leave  thy  throne  and  thy  kingly  crown 
When  thou  camest  to  earth  for  me; 
But  in  IJetblehcm's  home  there  was  found  no  room 
For  thy  holy  nativity. 

Foxes  found  their  rest,  and  the  birds  had  their  nests 

In  the  shade  of  the  cedar  tree; 
But  thy  couch  was  the  sod,  Oh.  thou  Son  of  Ood, 

In  the  deserts  of  Galilee. 

—Emily  S.  Elliott. 


Is  own,  lioU 
inanity,  ho, 
lis  Son,  tho 
as  tho  thief 
nor.  As  in 
atcd  by  day 
ight  to  its 
it  is  nut  tho 
tre  in  orbits 
redeeming 
rlor  to  the 
nd  in  those 
tarry  pave- 
by  the  law 
11  much  bo 
I  are  most 
lorifled  are 
e. 

corruptible 
nncr.of  life 
'lous  hlofxl, 
ot,  even  the 

before  the 
t  the  end  of 

(R.  V.) 

f  crown 
10  room 


their  nests 
Ood, 
I  S.  Elliott. 


CHRISTIAN  REDEMPTION. 

y  HIS  is  a  theme  in  which  the  angels  are  inter- 
ested.     How  broad  is  Christian  redemption  in 
Its  sweep  of  meaning.     Tlu-ough  this  great  fact  a 
better  body  is  in  store  for  humanity,  even  a  spir- 
itual body  ready  in  the  coming  days  and  lil<e  that 
of  the  Master  himself.     A    better  condition  of 
thinking  is  involved  in  this  redemption,  for  we 
are  bidden  to  bring  every  thought  into  subjec- 
tion to  the  obedience  of  Christ.      A  better  social 
condition  is  involved  for  we  are  by  love  to  serve 
one  another,  and  in  the   cleansing  of  the  heart 
from  all  sin,  the  raising  of  the  whole  being  to  a 
new  life  as  well  as  a  new  ideal  are  included  in  this 
great  redemption.     Man  was  to  be  lifted  out  of 
the  circle  where   self   is   center   into  the  circle 
where  Christ  is  all,    the  very  springs  of  action 
and   the  very  motives  of  living  made  God-like 
with  the  record  of  the  past  freely  forgiven,  and 
the  life  made  already  fresh  and  new  with  the  fore 
taste  of  the  resurrection  glory. 

Let  us  climb  to  the  rung  of  the  ladder  where 
the  angels  stand,  and  look  off  upon  the  scene.  As 
lower  than  man  in  the  scale  of  creation  is  theani- 


Jio-f 


J' 


U)S 


Ol'T  OF  THE  CAiy-LIFE 


! 


mal,  so  just  over  on  the  other  side  is  the  un^el.* 
This  high  inteHigeiice  reekoiis  iiiiiMiiy  ils  fflories 
a  race  of  beings,  whirh  never  tasted  sin.  Tliese 
unfullen  ones  are  frequently  re))resented  in  the 
Scriptures  as  sweetly  in  eoniinunion  with  God  and 
as  manifesting  a  helpful  interest  in  humanity. 

What  range  of  intelligence  and  of  moral  nature 
they  possess  >«  not  definitely  known  but  it  is 
thought  to  be  very  vast  on  account  of  some  sug- 
gestive things  said  about  them.  Great  missions 
have  been  denied  them.  They  were  permitted  to 
minister  to  Jesus  after  the  temptation,  they  were 
not  permitted  to  come  into  tlie  linal  struggle  c(m- 
nected  with  his  arrest  and  crucifi.xion.  We  need 
not  hesitate  to  draw  near  and  look  upon  their  in- 
teresting but  inadequate  view  of  redtinption. 
Peter  speaking  expressly  of  redemption  by  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ  says,  "Which  things  tho 
angels  desire  to  look  into." 

What  strange  communications  must  have 
been  exchanged  between  those  sons  of  light 
as  througli  many  years  they  heard  tho 
story  of  the  coming  incarnation  of  the  Son 
of  God.  How  their  pure  natures  must  have 
throbbed  to  some  sweeter  melody  as  they  dreamed 
redemption's   dream,    and   when    that    morning 


*Mark  says  that  during  Jesus'  temptation  in  the  wilderness,  "  Ha 
was  with  the  WILD  BEASTS  and  ANGiiLS  ministered  unto  him." 
(Mark  i:  ii)  Thus  beliold  the  representative  of  true  manhood 
standing  with  the  buasis  on  one  side  and  the  angels  on  the  other. 


\ 


» 


the  aii;^(>l.* 
its  jrlorifs 
iin.     Tliesc 
itc'd  in  tlio 
itli  God  and 
inuinity. 
oral  nature 
1  but  it  is 
some  sug- 
it   missions 
i-rniittcd  to 
,  tlioy  wei'O 
■Uffglocon- 
Wc  need 
m  thoir  iii- 
Hlomption. 
ion  by  the 
things  the 

Hist  have 
i  of  light 
?ard  the 
f  the  Son 
lust  have 
y  dreamed 
morning 


leruess,   "  He 
d  unto  him." 
rue  manhood 
tlie  other. 


! 


I 


|-nefor,I„.Ho.,,,.,i.|,,,,,,,,,,^,^,,;;~^^ 

''Klu-st,    on   earth  g„n.l.will    nmon^    ,„.,,•.  ,,,,„ 

-'-an-  noting, he  awf.„. ni.l.ith     h.: 

""•:  '"  ♦'-  -•"—  -'-V  the  Son  of  n.         • 

aft  of  heavenhnes,s  might  q„..n..h,|,..   thirst  or 
U.e   we,,,   ,,,    ,,.,,„,.,^^^    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^     ^^^^^^ 

must  H.ve  ushered    bael.   again   glad    wi,,.  ,  „,! 
.ghtsome  awe.  and  when     they    saw    ,he   g.-at 

veadr<,.as.„oodtothegroun,.inGe,h.semane 
hey  hastened  willing  and  expectant  ministers  to 

>ca,,„„„.„,,,ifoofliH.So„ofGod,  tonotethat 
he.r„nmediateh..lp.asofnosneh,,uali,yasu, 
bo  needed  in  sueh  a  battle;  how  their  awe' mu^t 
have  deepened  in  intensity  until  there  were  great 
punctuations  in  the  ascriptions  and  melodits  of 
the  heav..nly  world.  And  when  that  rude  frame 
of  wood  bore  the  forn,  of  hin,  wI,o  planted  the 
germ  of  every  aspen,  and  his    cry  was  heard  fa.- 

over  the  hill,  the  echo  of  which  has  gone  arou 
and  around  the  earth  and  far  into  the  heavens 
unt.1  angels  knew  it  was  the  cry  of  one  tastin.: 
death  for  every  man,  how  they  mu-s^t  have  looked 
upon  th.s  earth,  on  the  one  hand  to  raise  unpre- 
ceden  ed  acclaims,  and  on  the  other  hand  with 
tremb  n.g  reverence.  How  over  that  cross  and 
around  that  sepulchre  their  thoughts  must  have 
hovered,  as  if  they  were  looking  out  upon  some 


ill  ..  , 


110 


Orr  OF  THE  CAIX-UFE 


grout  aui-oru  of  providence,  or  liow  like  the  nii- 
tlvps  of  Africa  whom  Livin^rston  describes,  they 
dared  not  iipproach  tlio  jrn.ut  Victoria  Fails  ho- 
cause  tliey  supposed  fheiii  to  represent  tlie  edjre  of 
the  worid;  tlicse  holy  ones  iool<i>d  ofT  upon  tli(> 
scene. 

But  they  have  never  turned  from  the  atmos- 
phere of  sinfulness  to  the  life-givinj^  i)reezes  of  for- 
giveness and  ("ternal  health.  Tliey  liad  nev(>r 
known  the  dasliinj,'  waves  yield  tlieir  prey  to  tiie 
land  of  deliverance,  nor  had  they  ever  pas>  -d 
through  furnaces  heated  seven  times  hot  by  pas. 
sions,  whose  fires  they  themselves  had  fanned; 
br'ing  delivered  without  the  smell  of  lire  upcm 
tliem. 

Deliverance  from  the  miry  pit  makes  the  rock 
feci  solid.  Since  sin  is  in  the  world  it  is  "idle  to 
argue  about  the  details  of  how  it  came  here.  I 
am  not  so  much  concerned  about  its  pedigree  as 
about  its  power.  I  am  not  so  muih  concerned 
about  the  fruit  Adam  ate  as  about  the  poison 
discovered  in  my  nature.  It  does  not  so  much 
concern  a  man  when  he  discovers  a  thief  in  his 
house  whether  he  came  in  through  the  door  or  the 
window  as  it  does  to  get  him  out  of  the  house 
before  some  terrible  act  of  violence  has  been  com- 
mitted. So  it  does  not  so  much  concern  me 
about  the  details  of  the  way  I  came  to  be  a  sinner 
as  about  the  awful  fact  tliat  I  am  a  sinner.     The 


h 


iko  the  nn- 
ribcs,   they 

a  Fulls  ho. 
tlic  ('(lire  of 

T   Upon    tli(> 

the  utnios- 
I'ozps  of  for- 
hiid  never 
)i't'y  to  tlio 
ver  jHis?  '(1 
lol  by  |)ivs- 
ad  funned; 
f  firo  upon 

es  the  rook 
t  is  idle  to 
c  here.  I 
H'digrec  as 
concerned 
the  poison 
t  so  much 
lief  in  his 
ioor  or  the 
the  house 
been  com- 
)ncern  rne 
>Q  a  sinner 
ner.     The 


rnnisri.i .v  in:i>t:.Mi"ri(tx 


III 


cllsca.se  has  .slr^.ck  me.      Mut  .sin.e  .sin   is  i„  ,h.. 

'""■''"•  '""'  "'•  '"•"'  •'<•'•".  «•"  n.av  w,.ll  dcli.rl,,    ,„ 

'■;•'""'"''"■'•  "''''•'••'iv.'nmce  from  the  hi,, erncss  of 
'"'  /'""''f"  Wives  unspeakal.ic  relish  ,o  ,h,. 
;''"^»''i"g  <'f  peace  through  redemption.  Who 
kuowH  what  deliverance  n.eun.s  Mk..  „„.  .leiivered? 

"  Kiu-tl.  Iiu8  a  Joy  unknown  to  hciven- 
The  now-l„)rn  peace  of  sins  for^rive,,; 
Teursofsucli  pure  iiml  deep  a..li^r|„,. 

Ve  unfrels.  n..vef  .liniiM..,!  .y„„r  sight. 
Itut  I  iunld  your, choirs  sliull.s|,i„,., 

And  all  your  knuw]..|^.eshalll,e  mine; 
»••  on  yi.ur  harps  must  learn  to  hear 
A  sacred  chord  that  mine  Hhull!)ettr." 
Now,  let  us  stund  upon   another  nu.g  of  this 

•^»W<"'-,  and  h.ok  upon  reden.ption  from  , he  s,nnd- 
F>'»t  of  that  man  .-hose  heart  yearns  wl,h  ,l.e 
blessed  unpuises  of  that  first  effort  of  self-sur- 
ronder   called    penitence.      Have   you  ever   heen 

Here7T..re  would  be  ..Oman.'  more. str;:i; 
tnumphnnt  CIn-istians  in  the  world  to-day  had 
t  .ey  s,a.,ed  out  in  the  way  by  radically  repe.Hing 
of  their  stns.     It   takes   the  dark  background  ^f 

theso,mtobringouttherainbo..initsbeau,y, 
and  tt  takes  the  full  recognition  of  the  self-life  to 
bnng  out  redemption  in  its  beauty.  Have  you 
e^or  been  awakened  to  the  conception  of  wron,r 
m your  soul?  Have  you  ever  really  felt  how 
-->y  thtngs  there  are   surely    characteristic  of 


^Hi 


'-^m-' 


118 


OUT  OF  THE  <AI\-LIFi: 


f'i 


.|!:i 


Christ  which  you  would  foo!  humiliated  to  liavoas 
characteristic  of  30U  ?     Has   the  vastnpss  of  the 
soul  been  opened  to  your  vio.v  until   it  seems  full 
of  great  mountain  peaks  ;iad  chasms  and   storms 
and  quiet  nooks  and  corners  where  lesser  passions 
lurk,  and  whole  prairies  of  thorns  and  briers  and 
poifjonous  weeds,  and  great  centers  of  selfisli  (ire 
which  upon  occasion  belch  out  as  if  fighting  every 
approacher  ?     Have  you  ever  come  to  say,    "1  do 
not  know    myself,  search  me,  O   God  ?  "     Have 
you  ever  noticed  how  at  one   moment   your  heart 
is  as  tender  as  that  of  an  infant  cooing  upon  the 
bosom  of  its  mother  and   the  n  xt   so  obdurate 
that  it  reminds  you  of  a  vicious   devil,    and    have 
you  said,  the  record  of  my  past   keeps   living  on 
and  I  am  here  a   sinner,  to  go   back  I  ca.i  not? 
Within  me  is  condemnation   and   guill.     To  go 
forward  longer  as  I  am,  how  dare  I,  but  my  feei 
are  slipping,  slipping,  as  if  time  had  been  frozen 
smoothe,  and  my  heart   is   cold  and  hard.     Then 
and  there,  O.  bless  the  day,  then  and  there  broke 
upon  your  vision    the  memory  of  the   crop  3  and 
you  said,  Jesus  will  save  me. 

A  lost  soul  hovering  between  two  worlds;  ever 
since  your  babyhood  you  had  proclaimed  by'evcry 
action  that  you  were  a  lost  being.  In  those  earlier 
days  you  knew  not  whether  to  feel  the  kitten's 
back  or  the  fire,  to  drink  poison  or  water,  to  creep 
on  the  rug  or  out  in  the  snow,  to  smile  or  cry.  You 


d  to  hiivo  as 
ncss  of  the 
t  seems  full 
md  storms 
scr  passions 

briers  and 
'  selfish  (iro 
iting  every 
^ay,    "I  do 

? "  Have 
your  heart 
^  upon  the 
5  obdurate 

and    have 

living  on 
t  ea.inot? 
1.  To  go 
it  my  feei 
i>en  frozen 
rd.  Then 
lere  brolte 
croF3  and 

■Ids ;  ever 
I  by  every 
)se  earlier 
3  kitten's 
',  to  creep 
'cry.  You 


CriI}[STlAX  REDEMPriOS 


sought  to  walk  and  fell.  As  the  years  went  on  every 
day  upset  a  score  or  more  of  conclusions  formerly 
made.     As  a  young  man  you  stood  at  the  forks  of 
the  road  and   sighed  again   and  again    to   know 
whether  to  be  a  mechanic   or  a   farmer  or  to  en- 
gage .n  some  profession.      Perhaps  you  have  been 
at  m,d-age  sitting  with  your  cheerful  family  about 
the  Thanksgiving  table  and  before  one  little  year 
has  gone  round   you  sit  weeping  „,  deepest  sor- 
row because  she  is  lost  to  your   home,    the   great 
ov:ng  heart  of  the   family   called    by    the  most 
blessed  name  of  all   earthly   names,    ..nother  " 
Wj  1  you  invest  in  this  line  of  business  or  in  that 
wdl  you  cherish  this  trend  of  thought  even  aboul, 
ohg.on,  or  will  you  cherish  that,  or  perhaps  you 

havccometooldageand   your   sight   has  faLd 
you,  you  can  not  see  the  path,  you  carry  a  stick 
n  your  hand  to  help  you  feel  the    way,  your  dull 
heanng  w,l   not  warn  you  of  approaching  danger, 
and  ,f  you  sit  in  the  door  of  your  home  the  ver^ 
cncket  on  the  curb  may  become  a  burden  to  your 
soul  the  white  locks  fall  over  your  wrinkled  fore- 
head  you  are  a  pilgrim    ;ourneyi«g  somewhere, 
the  breath  of  eternity  is  upon  your  brow,  and  you 
know  not  the  way.  Lost,  lost,  lost!  But  hearken, 
Josus  hath  .spoken,  "I  am  the  way." 

O,  the  consciousness  of  a  condemned  soul  He 
has  squandered  ability,  he  has  depreciated  the 
Gospel,  he   has  shut  out    the    light,  and  what 


--"tMIri* 


v>^m^iS^^- 


I 


i 


vu 


lU 


OUT  OF  THE  CATX-LIFK 


does    he    know    of    surrender;     his     heart     h;is 
rushed    to    the  opposite   side  from  that  of   the 
angel-life.      He    fears    eternity,   would    that    he 
feared    liimself.       Have    you     been    there,    and 
have    you     out   of    this    condemnation     looked 
unto     the     merciful      Redeemer      until     deeper 
and  still  deeper  were  the  feelings  of  grief  at  the 
thought  of  having  caused   him  so  terrible  a  sor- 
row, only  to  be  rewarded  with  the  sweet  assur- 
ance of  forgiveness— a  great,  free,  plentiful,  holy 
forgiveness  ?     Pardon  will  often  causo  the  culprit 
who  receives  it  to  faint  in  his  cell.     This  pardon 
which  Josus  gives  causes  the  culprit  to  sing  as  ho 
goes  at  largo.     When  a  person  is  pardoned  he  is 
left  to  prove  himself  and  is  very  cautiously  taken 
back  into  the  trust  of  those  who  know  him,. but 
when  Jesus  pardons  a  sinner  he  is  taken  immedi- 
ately  into  the  family  and  given  the  confidence  of 
the  household,  adopted  as  the  child  of  God  and 
promised  an  inheritance  of  infinite  love;  the  lost 
is  found,  the  dead  \f,  alive. 

Have  you  seen  redemption  from  the  standpoint 
of  a  penitent  ?  Have  you  looked  at  Calvary 
through  such  doors  as  these?  The  angels  may 
well  rush  In  now  and  express  their  joy  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  for 
they  never  saw  redemption  from  beneath.  The 
angels  said  he  went  forth  to  save  them,  but  I  have 
said  he  came  to  save  me.     They  said  he  is  theirs, 


^'i- 


CinUSTlAX  HEDEMPTIOS 


11: 


bill  I  have  siiid  he  is  ininc.      They  say  "  milo  V(.-r 
is  born   a   Saviour,"   but  the  poor  Iiuinan    leper 
cries,     '.if     thou    wilt    thou     can'st    mak.>    .mi: 
clean."     They  say   behold  him  go,   but  we  can 
say  behold  him  come.     They  look  off  upon  the 
scene   with    holy  enthusiasm,    but   the   scene    i.s 
within  me,  and   the  enthusiasm,  too,  for  I  needed 
redemption  and   i  got  it.      To  be  a  man  born  in 
sin  and  redeemed  is  to  know  and  experience  of  the 
love  of  the  Infinite,  high  above  that  which  even 
angels  know  from  actual  experience.     And  here 
we  not  only  see  redemption,  but  we  feel  it.     The 
first  dawnings  of  benevolence  have  come  into  our 
souls  as  we  repented  and  the  new  life  is  already 
blessedly  begun. 

"  Oh  glory  to  His  name  and  His  wondrous  love  proclaim, 

I"ll  shout  His  praise  on  high; 
I'll  sing  redeoming  lovo  to  the  shining  hosts  above, 

And  behold  His  face  in  glory  by  and  by." 

Stili  another  rung  of  the  ladder  invites  us. 
Let  11.-  step  higher  and  view  redemption  from  the 
standpoint  of  a  new  man  in  Christ.  May  we  have 
the  thoroughly  surrendered  will  and  the  clear 
heart-vision  as  we  look  upon  this  wonderful 
theme  from  this  wonderful  standpoint.  Lie  down 
in  your  hammock  at  night  when  the  summer  sky 
is  clear  and  you  would  think  that  if  you  were  high 
up  in  the  air  you  could  walk  from  star  to  star 
and  from  planet  to  planet  and  that  the  distance 


nr, 


OUT  OP  THE  CATN-LIFE 


I  B 


from  ono  s);ir  to  another  would   I>o  all  loo  short 
for   your   stops.      But  rise  and  go  aloft    in    the 
••ogion  of  planots  and  stars,  or  else  with  a  tdo. 
scope  bring  the  planets  and  stars  within  c-learor 
view,  and  you  will  see  that  what  appeared  to  you 
as  a  short  step  is  like  the  distance  across  a  con- 
l.nent.     So  when  Christ  has  come   into  our  lives 
and  we  have  turned  away  from  the  old  self-life  to 
God  it  all  appears  different  to  us.      We  enter  into 
fellowship  with  Jesus   Christ.      Mark  that  word 
fellowship.      The    very    same    spirit    which  is  in 
Jesus  becomes  the  spirit  which  moves  us  to  our 
activities,  we  live  the  redemptive  life.     A  youn.r 
man  got  his  hand  hurt  in  acorn  shelling  machine'' 
and  the  physician  informed  the  friends  after  am' 
putating  the  hand  that  it  would  be  necessary  to 
graft  the   wound.     So  the   pastor  of  the  church 
where  he  atteiui.d  and  the  teacher  of  the  villacre 
school  and   others   contributed  from  their  arms 
four  hundred   grafts  of  living  flesh.     The  crrafts 
were   applied   and    the   young    man    recovered 
These  friends  had  fellowship  with  his  sufferings. 
And  we  are  to  enter  into  the  fellowship  with  The 
sufferings  of  Christ  just  as  these  friends  did  with 
the  sufferings  of  this  young  man.      Christ  suffered 
because   of    his   great   love.     They  sympathized 
with  the  young  man's  pain,  we  are  rather  to  sym- 
pathize with  Christ's  great  principles.     And  this 
IS  what  it  means  to  be  a  Christian.     We  are  to  o-o 


JtL. 


1  loo  sliort 
jft  in  llie 
ith  a  U'lf- 
lin  c'lcaror 
red  to  yoii 
•OSS  a  oon- 
1  our  lives 
solf-lifo  to 
enter  int.) 
Lluit  word 
liic'h  is  in 
us  to  our 

A  young 

mucliine, 
after  arn- 
ftssary  to 
le  church 
le  village 
eir  arms 
lie  grafts 
^covered, 
f^'erings. 
with  the 
did  with 

suffered 
23athized 

to  svm- 
\.nd  this 
ire  lu  go 


cimisTiA X  nEDR^rrTlox 


117 


/ 


out   with  Christ   borno  on  1,,    his   great   love  to 
seek  and  to  save  the  lost.     This  task  of  recon- 
structing the  race  by  defeating  the  self-life  and 
bringing  in   the  Christ-life  will  never  cease  until 
the  complete  victory  arrives,  and  (n-ery  Christian 
man  rnlists  as  a  Christian,  receiving  this  great 
<'nmmission    in    his    soul;     and    just    as    c'lu-ist 
presents  himself    to    Calvary    we    are    to    pre- 
sent    ourselves      living     sacrifices     unto    God. 
The    Jewish     idea     was    to    kill    the    sacrifice, 
but  the  Christian  idea  since  Christ  has  died  and 
risen  from  the  dead  is  to  have  the  sacrifice  alive. 
We  are  supposed  to  be  enlisted  in  the  very  front 
of  a  battle,  to  be  one  with  Jesus  Christ.     "Unto 
you   it    is   given    not   only   to   believe   on    him 
but    also    to    sufler."     The    same    work    is    oii 
lus  heart    to-day    as    that    which    was    on    his 
heart   when    he   announced  the    finished    atone- 
ment.    It  must  be    applied,    and    by    the    Holy 
Spii-it's  help  we  ai-e  to  apply  it.     When  I  prayed 
as  a  penitent  I  said,  God  be  merciful   to  me,  but 
when  I  pray  to-day  I  enter  into   his  fellowship 
which   adds,    God  be   merciful    to.    them.      How 
quickly  that  prayer  finds  a  place  upon  the  lips  of 
the  new-born  soul.     How  little  we  knew  when  we 
first  prayed  that  prayer  for  personal  deliverance 
that  we  should  take  in  every  Hindoo  and  every 
Japanese  and  every  Chinaman  and  every  inhabit- 
ant of  every    island  and  on    every  sea  into  our 


118 


orr  OF  ruE  caw-life 


1  '!•:: 

lij'r 


ii  ,'! 


cry,  since  Christ  is   tiil<iiig  us  all  into  his  grea- 
redemption,  and  how  few  of    tho  givator  weak- 
nesses of  our  character  were  definitely  understood 
in  that  first  hour.     Some  of  these  have  since  been 
recognized  and  cured  until  we  find  ourselves  say- 
ing,   Lord    thou    didst     forgive    me   fully    and 
freely   at  that  time,  but  now  I  find  it  means  a 
million-fold  more    than  I    thought  it   did;  while 
thy   forgiveness    has    never   been    cancelled,    I 
would  fain  have  it  reasserted  that  thou  mightest 
see  in  the  very  motions  of   my  soul  how  much 
better  I  appreciate  what  it  means  to  have  sin  for- 
given than  I  did  at  that  time.     We  see  sin  more 
as  Christ  saw  it  now.     O,  could    I   but  pick   up 
somewhere  one  nail  which  I  certainly  knew  had 
pierced  the  palm  of  my  blessed  Redeemer  on  tho 
cross,  how  1  would  kiss  it  and  weep  over  it  and 
fold  it  close  within  my  palms  and  say,  "Let  me 
wound  myself  with  this,  if  perhaps  some  scratch 
of  the  nail   over  a  vein  might  cause  me  to  bleed 
against  that  same  thing  against  which  his  blood 
rushed  for  me."     Does  some  one  say  I  fear  that 
the  human  heart  could  not  bear  the  intense  fel- 
lowship  with  Christ  of  which  we  are  speaking,  it 
would  seem  to  be  suicidal.     How  mistaken,  my 
friend;  it  is  not  suicidal,  it  is  resurrection.     Just 
as  the  self-life  dies  the  Chnst-life  comes  in.     We 
are  debtors  everywhere  to  humanity  with  Christ, 


i. 


CirmSTfA X  UEUEMPTIOK 


110 


his  grca./ 
ter  weak- 
idorstood 
iince  been 
'Ives  say- 
uUy    and 
means  a 
id;  while 
celled,    I 
mightest 
nv  much 
B  sin  for- 
sin  more 
pick   up 
:new  had 
;r  on  the 
r  it  and 
'Let  me 
;  scratcli 
to  bleed 
lis  blood 
ear  that 
ense  fel- 
tking,  it 
ken,  my 
n.     Just 
in.     We 
Christ, 


I 


and  we  are  invited  into  the  struggle,  and  the  lu.nor 

involved  in  it  no  tongue  can  tell. 
When  God  created  these  worlds  it  was  an  easy 

act  of  his  power. 

"He  spake  and  it  was  done,"  "Tho  earth 
showeth  his  /,a,nlhrorl,r  says  the  Psalmist, 
as  if  it  were  a  task  of  knitting  or  some 
delicate  work;  but  when  he  came  to  re- 
deem humanity,  or  better  when  he  came 
to  re-create  humanity,  he  is  represented  as 
poor,  and  sighing,  and  groaning,  und  weep- 
ing, and  weary,  and  dying-and  behold  he 
lives  again.  The  prophet  had  cried  out,  "Make 
bare  thine  arm,  Oh,  Lord,"  and  it  was  no  longer 
handiwork. 

Into    that    first    act    of    creation    we    were 
not   invited.      God   formed    the    lilies    and   God 
made  the  waters  and  all  the  forms  of  beauty  and 
the  whirling  maze  of  worlds  without  any  sugges- 
tion of  our  helping,    but  when  the  greater  act 
occurred,  when  the  appeal  could  be  made  to  the 
highest  motives  that  could  inspire  a  human  actor 
glorify  a  human  destiny,  then  he  ^aid,  come  in 
and  share  it.     Be  redeemers  with   me,   take  up 
your  cross  and  follow.     When  shall  we  once  learn 
.he  lesson  of   holy   greatness   and   of  deathless 
worth?      Painters    have   cau.sed    people   to   sit 
wrapt  by  the  hour  in  the  presence  of  their  pro- 
ductions and  in  some  cases  to  weep  and  resolve 


.■  I 


I'.'O 


Ol'T  OF  THE  CAIS-LIFK 


for    bfttcr    living    then    and     lliciv.        Mii-hu,.! 
DoMunkafsy's     frroat     i)i,tiiiv,     "Clirist    before 
Pilate"   is  said, to  have  broken    tlu«    heart  of   a 
sailor.      He  resolved  to  give  up  drink  and  sin  no 
more.      I  had  a  friend  who  stfxul  amid  the  throng 
of  jjeople  looking  off  upon  that  picture.     He  i.s  a 
well   balanced  man,  but  his  attention  became  so 
riveted  upon  the  incident  it  rejjresented  that  as 
he  fixed  his  eyes   upon   the  mob  calling  for  the 
crucifixion  of  Christ  he  called  out,  "Here  stop 
that."     Oh,  if  we  could  but  have    the   spirit  of 
Jesus  in  the  heart  of  the  church  to-day  men  and 
women  would  feel  the  power  of  his  presence  and 
really  see  it  as  they  see  the  artist's  dream  in  the 
pictures.     What  a  mighty  revival  of  Christliness 
would  come  down  upon   the  peoples  and  what  a 
spirit  of  great  tenderness  and  benevolence  would 
be  awakened  everywhere,   until    the    feelings   of 
Paul  would  find  response  in  millions  of  hearts  in 
our  day  and  our  lives  would  be  in  accord  with 
tho.se  great  full  words,  "For  me  to  live  is  Christ." 
Verily  the  Christian  is  a  Christ-i-an.      We  are 
the  continuation  of  the  Christ  plan  and  of  the 
Christ-life.     We  have  the  very  same  thing  to  do 
and  we  are  to  do  it  according  to  the  same  outline 
of  action  and  inspired  by  the  same  great  motive. 
A  little  boy  lifted  his  shining  face  at  the  break- 
fast table  one  morning  and  said  to  his  father,  who 
was  a  very  thorough  Christian  minister,  "Well, 


(  liniSTIA  \  riKDHMl'TioX 


131 


Micluicl 
ist    bcfdi'o 
loart  of   ii 
111(1  sill  no 
the  throng 
Ho  is  a 
bocanio  so 
h1  that  as 
ig  for  the 
Here  stop 
spirit  of 
moil  ami 
sonce  and 
am  in  the 
iristliness 
id  what  a 
ice  would 
•clings   of 
hearts  in 
cord  with 
s  Christ." 
Wc  are 
lid  of  the 
ing  to  do 
le  outline 
t  motive, 
he  break- 
ther,  who 
'.,  "Well, 


papa,  if  they  wore  to  write  a  new  Rii,l,.  „ow  thoy 
would  put  mamniu's  name,  and  your  name,  and 
sisters   name  and  our  prouchor-s  name  and  my 
name  in  it,  wouldn't  thoy  ?"     The  father  inquired 
to  find   out  exactly   what  t.o  little  child  meant 
when   he   explained   that  the  names  of  the  people 
to-day    would    be    in    th..    book    instead   of  such 
names  as  Peter,  John  and  Paul  and  Dorcas      See 
how   that   child   detected    the   moaning    of    the 
Christian  religion.     Wo  ought  to  be  the  Bible  of 
to-day,  so  that  if  the  record  of  to-day  were  written 
down   it  should  as  truly  be  the  divine  record  as 
that  contained  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.      Let 
us  keep  to  our  programme.     Here  it  is,    "The 
spirit  of   the  Lord  is  upon  me  because  he  hath 
anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  to  the  poor 
he  hath  sent  me  to  i,roclaim  release  to  the  cap- 
tives and  recovering  of  sight  to  tlie  blind,  to  set 
at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised,  to  proclaim  the 
acceptable  year  of  the  Lord." 

I  will,  I  must  if  possible  enter  into  fellowship 
with  this  redemptive  plan. 

Why,  the  African  village  at  the  World's  Fair  in 
Chicago  was  peopled  by  some  genuine  Africans 
whose  tribe  has  the  following  very  interesting 
custom.  The  boys  of  the  surrounding  community 
join  the  tribe  ujwn  their  own  choice  and  take  rank 
in  the  tribe  according  to  merit  as  racers  or  hunt- 
ers,  etc.     At  a  convenient  season  of  the  year  the 


V!'i 


ntrr  of  tun  vaisijfk 


"  If 


ii  r 


i 


boys  uro  si'iil  out  into  llic  liills  to  (■(Hiiiiclc  in 
races,  murksinansliii)  and  dllicr  atlilclic  dcrds. 
While  there  tlieyure  addressed  i)y  soiiie  of  tlie 
most  snpple  of  the  older  men  of  liie  IrilK;  on  how 
to  shoot  and  run  and  dodj^e,  and  similar  pursuits; 
then,  wlien  the  day  eomes  for  tribe-joining,  all 
who  desire  to  join  arc  placed  in  a  company  to- 
gether and  they  are  bidden  to  take  their  rank  ac- 
cording to  their  standing  in  the  games.  The  best 
athlete  is  first,  the  second  best,  second,  and  so  on 
down  the  line.  Now,  they  are  to  bear  the  mark 
or  scar  of  their  rank,  and  this  is  produced  by  a 
deep  gash  madi'  in  the  back  of  the  boy.  The 
boy  at  the  foot  of  the  line  receives  the  gash  low 
down  on  the  back,  but  the  boy  at  the  head  of  the 
line  is  gaslied  up  near  the  head.  An  African  who 
in  his  boyhood  had  joined  the  tribe,  entered  the 
African  village  at  the  World's  Fair.  He  had 
been  educated  in  America  and  was  dressed  in 
American  style,  but  he  had  not  forgotten  the  dia- 
lect of  his  own  tribe.  Entering  the  village  he 
began  to  converse  with  the  natives.  They  en- 
quired about  his  birthplace  and  tribe  until  he 
told  them  that  he  was  a  Prince  of  the  tribe.  They 
immediately  asked  if  he  wore  the  scars,  and  when 
he  said  he  did,  two  or  three  of  those  Africans 
rushed  forward  and  thrust  their  hands  down  un- 
der his  collar,  then  quickly  fell  down  before  him 
to  do  him  homage.      They  liad   felt   tlic  scar  and 


i 


m. 


T' 


cuiiisTi.\  s  HKitKyn'Tiny 


UV1 


ni|i('l('  ill 
if  (Icrds. 
\('  of  tlio 
I!  on  liiiw 
pursuits; 
ining,  all 
ipuuy  to- 
rank  ac- 
Tli.>  best 
iiul  so  on 
he  mark 
fod  by  a 
oy.  The 
gasli  low 
ad  of  the 
'loan  who 
tercd  the 

He  had 
ressed  in 
1  the  dia- 
illage  he 
They  en- 

until  he 
c.  They 
ind  when 
Africans 
down  un- 
>fore  him 
soar  and 


they  knew  his  rank.  The  lesion  is  evident. 
High  rank  meant  lii;^li  scars,  but  any  kind  of 
rank  meant  scars  of  some  kiiul.  So  here  Christ 
would  have  followers  who  are  enlisted  with  tiie 
idea  of  sutTering  with  him  and  of  iu-uring  the 
marks  of  the  King. 

Heaven  will  not  be  a  nui-sery  for  the  feeble. 
When  God  marslialls  liis  great  liosts  f(M-  review 
you  may  hear  it  said,  '-These  are  they  who  came 
up  out  of  great  tribulation. "  What  if  Jesus  sliould 
stand  yonder  in  visible  form  and  say  to  us, 
"Come  children,  draw  near  and  conver.se  with 
me."  We  draw  near  and  he  tells  us  that  he  would 
have  us  talk  over  redemption  with  him.  Could 
we  take  part  in  the  conversation?  Could 
we  reach  a  single  strain  of  the  theme?  Would 
there  beany  real  interest  in  it  from  your  stand- 
point and  mine?  If  not,  then  I  fear  that  the  cen- 
tral and  all-embracing  theme  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion has  never  sutKciently  interested  us  to  charm 
away  our  mean  self-life,  nor  have  we  realized  suf- 
ficiently our  high  calling  to  see  that  we  are  to 
have  fcllowshi})  with  the  Son  of  God. 

We  cL'n  not  be  possessed  of  that  refining  sensi- 
tiveness to  the  needs  of  humanity  which  is  so  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  humanity  and  true  success 
in  every  undertaking,  unless  we  are  in  actual  fel- 
lowsliip  with  Jesus  himself.  We  must  see  Jesus 
in  the  poorest  and  worst.      Not   that   the   worst 


131 


oirr  OF  run  caisi.ifi: 


lovo  liim  luid  plt'usc  liim,  l>ut  Hint  lidp  to  tlinii   i.s 
holptohlm.      "Ye  (lid  it  unto  me." 

And  now  let  us  tal<t'  ouv  position  lool<in;f  oil 
upon  tho  view  of  rt'dcmption  wliiili  must  liiivc 
boon  ill  tlu'  mind  of  tlic  Kc(l»'cnn>r  liimsclf.  "Wi- 
reckon,"  Huid  onoof  the  futliorsof  thi'  scviMitcfntli 
century,  '-thut  a  man  must  bcexcopdingly  benev- 
olent when  he  sits  down  to  devise  how  he  ean  best 
distribute  his  jroods  amoiifjf  others."  Jes\is  comes, 
Baying,  all  this  is  voluntary,  I  come  to  do  the 
Father's  will  and  to  lay  down  my  life. 

"Jcmm  my  Saviour  to  Hetlilclicm  e:iiiu'. 
Horn  In  a  nmnjjtr  to  sorrow  imd  shiune, 
Oh,  It  was  wonderful,  blest  be  bis  luimo, 
Seeking?  for  me,  for  me. 

JosuH  my  Saviour  on  Calvary's  tree 

I'aiil  tbe  pn  lit  price  and  my  soul  is  set  free. 

Oh,  it  was  wonderful,  bow  could  It  be, 
Dyinjj  for  nip,  for  me." 

It  is  a  chosen  plan,  a  favored  lot.  What  benev- 
olence there  must  be  in  the  'leart  of  one  who  de- 
vises how,  when  and  whej'e  ro  lay  down  his  life 
for  sinners  and  give  them  an  inheritance  of 
boundless  wealth.  He  gave  his  best  to  bring  us 
to  our  best.  It  is  his  very  life.  What  valoi-  is 
to  the  brave  man,  what  muscle  is  to  the  sailor, 
what  the  father-feeling  is  to  the  father,  these 
faintly  picture  what  redemption  is  to  Christ.  We 
could  not  know  him  any  other  way  and  we  are  to 


(  Ilia,'' 77. 1 \  HF.nHMI'TlOS 


i,r, 


have  this  life  in  us.  Ut'dfi'iiicd,  rcdt'cmcdl  Wo 
wore  rciirod  by  tlio  ministry  of  tlidsc  wlio  loved 
U.S.  Let  us  live  to  serv»>.  Let  us  suffer  to  euro 
others.  Let  us  die  that  we  nmy  liv(>.  The  utorie- 
rnent  of  Ciirist  is  u  jierfeet  utonenient,  but  il 
iieeds  a  niiiiiwai'd  apijlicatioii  and  we  are  invited, 
what  Iionor  is  in  it,  to  (ill  up  tlie  sulTeriii,i;s  of 
Christ  wliieh  are  beliind  wliich  are  ready  to  fol- 
low. Oh.  my  soul,  thi.s  Is  life;  all  else  is  death. 
Saviour  divine,  be  thou  rcveulcd  in  mc.  Re- 
deemed!    Redeemed!! 


THE    REDEMPTION    OF 
SORROW. 


T" 


li 


t 


"  I  know  a  man  who  was  known  as  '  tho  man  who  had 
never  wept.'  No  one  had  ever  spcn  tears  upon  his  face. 
One  night  he  was  deeply  convicted  e*  sin  in  a  meeting. 
and  finally,  with  great  trembling,  ho  took  hold  of  the 
seat  in  front  of  him  and  pulled  himself  up  to  a  partially 
erect  posture  and  cried,  '  Can  a  man  ho  saved  who  has 
never  wept?'  And  even  as  he  said  it  he  let  go  of  tho 
seat  and  fell  back  into  the  pew  and  burst  into  tears. 
Oh,  I  believe  that  tears  would  come  to  cheeks  unused 
to  them  if  only  some  would  be  willing  to  do  the  will  ot 
(!od."— B.  Fn\)  Mills. 

•'  The  capacity  of  sorrow  belongs  to  our  grandeur,  and 
the  loftiest  of  our  race  are  those  who  have  had  the  pro- 
foundest  sympathies,  because  they  have  had  the  pro- 
foundest  sorrow."— J/cnri/  Oiles. 

"  For  godly  sorrovj  workeOi  repenhince  unto  salvatUm,  a 
repentance  whMi  brlnoctli  no  regret;  but  the  sorroiv  of  the 
world  worteMi  tZcat/i."— II.  Corinthians  vii:  10.  (R.  V.) 

"  Sadness  serves  but  one  end,  being  useful  only  in 
repentance,  and  hath  done  its  greatest  work,  not  when 
it  sighs  and  weeps,  but  when  it  hates  and  grows  careful 
against  sin;  but  cheerfulness  serves  charity,  fills  tho 
soul  with  harmony,  and  makes  and  publishes  glorifica- 
tions of  God."— Jeremy  Taylor. 


in  who  had 
in  his  face, 
a  meeting, 
lold  of  the 
a  partially 
'd  who  has 
t  go  of  tho 
into  tears, 
iks  unused 
the  will  ol 

ndeur,  and 
id  the  pro- 
i  tho  pro- 

alvatlon,  a 

rrow  of  the 

(R.  V.) 

il  only  in 
not  when 
ws  careful 

r,   fills  tho 

3  glorifica- 


THE  REDEMPTION  OF  SORROW. 

LJow  broad  und  comprohon.sivc,  and   if  under- 
taken by  any  other  tlian  a  divine  hand,  how 
daring  would  be  this  Christian  plan  of  dealing  with 
humanity.      Stoies  taught  some  of  the    external 
virtues  such  as  fidelity  and  heroism,   but  Jesus 
♦eachcs  us   not  only  to  be  faithful  but  to  be  for- 
giving; not  only  to  be  heroic  but  to  be  gentle  and 
loving  and  merciful.     The  religion  of  Jesus  un- 
dertakes to  play  all  the  keys  of  the  whole  instru- 
ment.    It  will   bring  out  the  music  of  the  whole 
orchestra,    hence   it  includes  sornnv  among   the 
subjects  of  its  blessed  ministry.      Wh  ^t  a  bene- 
diction it  is  that  we  can    feel  sorrow.     If  man 
were  capable  only  of  joy  he  would  be  like  a  violin 
with  one  string;  what  a  wearisome  exhibition  of 
monotony  would  such  a   person  be.     In  certain 
cases    of  insanity,  weeping   is  the  sign    of    ap- 
proaching recovery,  and  the  word  will  be   whis- 
pered among  tho  nurses  and  attendants  concern- 
ing the  patient,  "We  saw  a  tear  in  his  eye;  that 
man  will  yet    recover."     What   perfect    deliglit 
thrills  the  hearts  of  the  relatives  as  they  read  the 
new  letter  from  the  hospital  saying,  "  Your  friend 
has  been  seen  to  weep  a  little;  recovery  is  more 
than  probable." 


[  n 


Joy  soars  high  and  bathes  its  wings  '■-.  the  light 
and  sings  its  songs;  but  sorrow  meanwhile  fol- 
lows the  .ong  shaft  and  digs  out  the  rich  nuggets 
of  ore.  How  could  we  enter  into  deepest  fellow- 
ship with  Jesus  were  we  not  capable  of  "  weeping 
with  those  that  weep."  There  is  a  heroism  in 
sorrow;  when  sorrow  is  of  the  right  quality  it 
dares  to  go  with  God  in  the  struggle,  i  on  the 
Jewish  Psulmist  seems  to  have  believed  this  when 
he  said  "M}.  tears,  are  they  not  in  thy  bottle." 
Dear  soul,  you  wept  so  bitterly;  you  went  alone  and 
hid  yourself  away,  as  if,  since  there  was  but  one 
God  tliere  was  but  one  wounded  mortal  too,  and 
there  you  wept  and  sighed  and  prayed  while  your 
whole  being  was  heaving  like  a  ship  in  the  storm 
until  he  said,  "Peace  be  still,"  and  there  was  a 
great  calm.  Moy  be  there  was  great  courage  in 
that  hour. 

Mothers  weep  when  their  boys  leave  home. 
They  have  the  courage  to  weep;  they  know  that 
if  the  boys  will  be  true  in  the  midst  of  their 
enemies  they  can  succeed,  and  they  emphasize 
the  knowledge  upon  the  boy's  soul  with  weeping. 
"Blessed  are  they  that  mourn."  As  long  as  hu- 
manity can  rejoice  in  this  woi'ld  it  may  well  sor- 
row. There  is  no  general  conflict  between  laugh- 
ter and  tears,  between  joy  and  sorrow.  "Sor- 
rowful yet  always  rejoicing,"  says  Paul. 

But  what  disgraceful  sorro,''  we  have  suffered. 


^s. 


X 


run  ^FA>E^rPTrox  op  sonnow 


131 


he  light 
hile  fol- 
nuggots 

follovv- 
wooping 
•oism  in 
iallty  it 

on  the 
lis  when 
bottle." 
lone  and 
but  one 
too,  and 
lile  your 
le  storm 
■e  was  a 
irage  in 

B  home. 
ow  that 
of  their 
iphasize 
t^eeping. 
<r  as  hu- 
vell  sor- 
1  laugh- 
"Sor- 

mffered. 


How  surely  there  seems  to  be  no  territory  of  the 
being  where  evil  has  not  caused  these  poisonous 
growths  to  come  up;  even  sorrow  has  become  de- 
generated sin.  There  is  a  sorrow  of  the  world — 
first  sorrow,  then  death;  a  blighting,  withering, 
slaying  sorrow. 

What  is  this  sorrow  of  the  world?  The  world 
in  the  days  when  Paul  wrote  would  naturally  be 
represented  by  Rome  or  Greece.  This  vast  un- 
christian community  based  its  life  upon  the  asser- 
tion of  the  individual.  The  modern  phrase, 
"Look  out  for  number  one,"  would  have  exactly 
fitted  that  class  of  humanity.  Their  thought  was 
upon  themselves,  and  their  great  study  was  to 
defend  themselves  and  exalt  themselves,  and 
hence  their  sorrow  was  a  selfish  sorrow. 

This  same  spirit  is  common  to  humanity  since 
the  assertion  of  the  self-life  is  the  secret  of  hu- 
man trouble  and  human  failure,  hence  the  sorrow 
of  the  world  is  a  self-sorrow.  The  sorrow  of  the 
world  says,  I  am  injured,  poor  me,  how  I  strug- 
gle, how  I  sutTer  !  This  was  the  difficulty  with 
Cain.  Instead  of  immediately  repenting  of  his 
sin,  "My  punishment  is  greater  than  I  can  bear." 
This  was  the  difficulty  with  the  rich  young  man 
who  came  to  Jesus  and  went  away  sorrowful.  I 
think  I  hear  him  say,  he  has  told  me  to  sell  all 
my  goods  and  give  to  the  poor,   my  lands,  my 


133 


orr  OF  riiK  vain-life 


flocks,  my  houses,  my  viivyui-ds.     Ah,  it  was  a 
sorrow  of  the  world. 

Now,  whonovor  there  comes  a  question  between 
a  thing  and  a  character,   God  always  takes  the 
part  with  the  character.     Here,  in  the  case  of 
the   rich   young  man,    the  conflict  was  between 
gold  and  the  man.     Immediately  the  Loi'd  said, 
"man  up.  gold  down."     The  same  is  true  in  the 
case  of    the   Gadarene   demoniac.     The   conflict 
there  is  between  the    pigs  and  the  man.     The 
Lord  immediately  says,    "man  up,  pigs  down." 
And  then,  when  mun  is  permanently  established 
in  victory,  gold  is  represented  as  the  pavement 
of  his  feet  in  heaven.     This  rule  always   abides; 
character  up,  things  down.     But  the  rich  young 
man   did  not  perceive  this.      His  sorrow  \<fas  a 
self-sorrow.      "He  went  away  sorrowful,  for  he 
had  great  possessions."     No  man  ever  was  pinned 
under  a    railroad    wreck   more    truly  than  was 
that  young  man  pinned  under  his  possessions. 
He  had  his  heart  where  his  feet  ought  to  be,  upon 
the  earth.      John  Ruskin  says  that  the  charac- 
teristic of  the  moan  man  is  in  the  way  he  pro- 
nounces the  word  "I,"  and  the  characteristic  of 
the  great  man   is  in  the  way  he  pronounces  the 
word   "it."       The  sorrow  of  the  world  always 
speaks  of  self.     It  has  not  great  philanthropy,  it 
has  no  great  fund  of  l.elpfulness  to  feed  upon;  it 
works  death ;  it  is  separate,  single,  exclusive,  kill- 


"""^ -^Sa^fe^fe***^ 


THE  REDEMPTION  OF  SORROW 


iri.T 


it  was  a 

n  bctwoon 
takes  the 
le  case  of 
I  between 
roi'd  said, 
ue  in  the 
B   conflict 
an.     The 
s  down." 
tablished 
lavement 
?   abides ; 
jh  young 
iw  U-as  a 
il,  for  he 
IS  pinned 
han  was 
sessions. 
bo,  upon 
1  charac- 
he  pro- 
M'istic  of 
incos  the 
I  always 
iropy,  it 
upon;  it 
ive,  kill- 


ill^'.     Tlioro  are  p;'npl(>   from    all   about   us  who 
have  gone  to  premature  •,'raves  through  this  aw- 
ful blast,  and  who  can  tell  the  great  number  of 
deadly   vices  it  breeds  in  its  own  walled  up  nest? 
But  now  let  us  turn  our  attent'.in  to  godly  sor- 
row, which  is  said  to  work  repentance— a  repent- 
ance  that  needeth  not  to  be  repented  of.     The 
sorrow  of  the  world  savors  of  the  world;  ^odly 
sorrow  savors  of  God.     The  sorrow  of  the  world 
says,  "lam  wronged";  godly  .sorrow  says,  "He 
is  wronged."     The  sorrow  of  the  world  says,  "I 
suffer";  godly  sorrow,  " He  hath  sufTered. "    The 
one,    "I  am  abused";  the  other,    "He  is  mal- 
treated. "     The  one,  ' '  My  poor  heart " ;  the  other, 
"His   broken    heart."     These  waters  of   Marah 
flow  very  close  to  the  mercy  seat,  and  soon  the 
soul  mellowed  by  this  kind  of  sorrow  will  be  heard 
saying,  "God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  laying 
the  emphasis  upon  the  word  "sinner"  very  much 
more  than  upon  the  word  "me,"  for  godlj  sorrow 
worketh  repentance. 

My  brother,  have  you  ever  felt  this  kind  of  sor- 
row? Has  your  soul  ever  awakened  sutficicntly  to 
say,  "God  has  been  wronged,  Christ  has  been  slain 
and  humanity  has  been  injured  through  my  willful- 
nessandsin?"  Have  you  ever  had  moral  ambition 
enough  to  explore  the  Infinite  nature  far  enough  to 
find  how  many  scars  j  on  have  made  in  his  affection 
through    the  outgoings    of    his   mercy  for  you? 


13t 


OUT  OF  THE  CAINl.tri: 


Look,  look  upon  liiin.  Sec  him  weop.  Hear  him 
plead.  Note  the  steady  greatness  in  tlie  strain 
of  his  teaching.'  Hear  his  warning;  feel  his 
heart-throbs.  Behold,  this  is  your  Creator!  This 
is  your  Saviour!  Tlli^  is  your  King,  and  of  this 
one  you  are  an  offspring.  Oh,  soul,  did  you  ever 
with  godly  sorrow  beg  the  divine  pardon  ?  It  is 
a  great  thing  to  repent  of  sin. 

Sometime  ago  in  one  of  my  meetings  I  ap- 
proached a  man  from  Chicago  and  said  to  him, 
"  My  brother,  have  you  given  your  life  to  Jesus  ?" 
He  replied,  'No.  sir,  I  have  not,  and  what  is 
more  I  do  not  mean  to;  I  tell  you  I  do  not  be- 
lieve what  you  preached  to-night.  You  taught 
tViat  a  man  must  get  down  in  the  dust  before  God 
in  order  to  be  saved,  and  I  tell  you  I  will  not  do 
it.  I  think  too  much  of  myself  for  any  such 
humiliation,  and  I  do  not  believe  in  it."  "  Beg 
your  pardon,  my  friend,"  said  I,  "jou  misunder- 
stood my  teaching.  I  do  not  say  that  a  man 
would  be  required  to  get  down  in  the  dust  in 
order  to  be  a  Christian,  but  I  mean  to  say  that 
you  are  now  down  in  the  dust,  and  one  of  the 
first  steps  toward  becoming  a  Christian  is  to 
rise  high  enough  to  let  the  light  shine  on  you 
so  that  you  shall  see  the  dust  which  soils  you, " 

Repentance  is  not  going  down  into  the  valley, 
repentance  is  not  going  down  at  all,  repent- 
ance is   rising  up.     When  one  is  ascended  high 


THE  REDEMPTION  OF  .SO/fROir 


nr, 


enough  to  see  how  God  has  been  wronged  by  him, 
until  he  desires  und  determines  to  ask  forgive- 
ness  for  his  fruitless  and  injurious  life,  then  he 
becomes  a  true  penitent.  Rejwntance  ia  realh/ 
the  frst  (lawnhufs  of  benevohuee.  Tlie  very  first 
step  in  the  Christian  life  is  a  step  into  gr  ss. 

O,  for  the. blessing  of  godly  sorrow.     Fi  ..,.w  sin- 
ner, may  it  come  into  your  soul  to-day.     I  do  not 
ask  you  to  weep;  that  would  only  be  incidental, 
but  may  heaven  give  to  the  very  deeps  of  your 
being  a  mighty  appreciation  of  the  goodness  of 
God  and  your  influence  upon  your  fellows  until 
you  shall  be  sorry  that  they  have  been  wronged. 
When  Col.  H.  H.   Hadley  knelt  in  the  Water 
Street  Mission  and  prayed  for  forgiveness  he  was 
a  drunken   newspaper  man.      He   says,    "That 
night  I  was  two  hundred-odd  pounds  of  sin  and 
beei'."  But  when  he  began  to  pray  he  found  him- 
self saying,  "dear  Jesus."     He  says,  "This  was 
altogether  new  to  me,  to  call  my  Saviour  dear 
Jesus.      Then  I  said,  O  dear  Jesus  let  me  bear 
this  terrible  appetite  for  strong  drink  for  thee 
who  hast  borne  my  sins  forme."  Coi.  Hadley  did 
not  think  to  ask  that  the  appetite  might  be  taken 
away,  this  he  might  well  have  done.     But  when 
there  came  genuine  repentance  he  would  fain  en- 
dure the  awful  trial  for  such  a  Saviour  as  this. 
Start  here  my  brother,  right  in  the  day-dawn  of 
benevolence.     Sound  the  depths  of  your  being 


i 


irirt 


nrr  of  the  caix-life 


i 


and  spc  if  you  can  not  find   it  witliin  you  to  say, 
"Father  I  have  sinned,  forgive  mo." 

Glorious  Jolui  Hunt. says  that  the  Fiji  Islanders 
would  faint  under  tlie  awful  load  of  their  own 
ffuilt  wlien  tliey  saw  it.  'Wlien  John  Hunt  went 
among  these  j)oor  cannibals  in  1H;{S,  girls  were 
sold  for  seven  dollars  each  that  they  might  bo 
eaten.  John  Hunt  preached  Christ  to  them  until 
they  saw  the  awfulnessof  their  practices.  Under 
Jiis  messages  they  would  faint  and  revive,  and  faint 
and  revive  and  bewail  their  awful  unrighteousness. 
You  could  not  buy  a  human  being  to-day,  in  the 
Fiji  Islands,  for  seven  milliom  of  dollars.  But 
these  poor  tribes  had  no  Bible.  You  and  I  have 
been  surrounded  with  the  ridiest  and  the  great- 
est teachings  tliat  have  (>ver  fallen  upon  human 
ears.  They  have  been  stated,  they  have  been 
sung,  and  with  the  very  pleadings  of  sacrifice 
they  have  been  pressed  upon  our  attention. 
Shall  we  not  drop  a  tear  or  two  of  genuire  re- 
pentance and  hate  tlie  old  self-life. 

' '  Who  sent  this  quil  t  here, "  said  a  dying  soldier 
boy  to  the  nurse.  '<I  do  not  know,"  re])liod  the 
nurse,  "but  there  was  a  note  with  it  and  I  can 
find  out  who  sent  it."  "I  wish  you  might,"  said 
tlie  young  man.  The  nurse  retired  from  the  room 
and  upon  returning  found  liim  intently  gazing  at 
one  patch  in  the  quilt.  "Did  you  find  out  who 
sent  the  quilt?"  said  he.     Then  the  nurse  read 


'^ou  to  say, 

i  IslandfM's 
thoir  own 
^uiit  wont 
f^irls  were 
inif^ht  be 
(Iiom  until 
OS.  Undof 
,  and  faint 
tcousnoss, 
ay,  in  the 
ars.  But 
md  I  have 
the  great- 
on  human 
lave  been 
f  sacrifice 
attention, 
enuire  re- 

ng  soldier 
"l)liod  the 
and  I  can 
ght,"said 
the  room 
gazing  at 
1  out  who 
urse  read 


rut:  mjDKMi-riox  of  soiinow 


.17 


the  name  at  tlie  bottom  of  the  note.     The  young 
man  burst  into  weeping  and  said,  -I  thoiij^ht  so, 
I  thought   so;  I  knew  it  was  her.      I  k„,"v  tiiat 
that  patch  was  a  piece  of  my  mother's  dress." 
Then   drawing   it  close   to  Iiis  lips  he  ki.ss,.d   the 
patch  once  and  again,   saying,    "God  forgive  mo 
for  the  way  I   treated  my  mother.      Nurse,   you 
will  tell  mother,   won't  yo-  ,    that  I  ask(-d  God  to 
forgive  me  before  I  died,    and  I  want  her  to  for- 
give    me."       I    think    tliat    soldier     boy    was 
greater  ten-million-fold  tliat  n.inulc  than  he  ever 
could  have  been  spun-ing  himself  on  in  some  bat- 
tle.     We  never  can  be  genuine  Christians  unless 
we  have    been    genuine  penitents.     The  joy  of 
the  Lord  can  not  be  our  strength  unless  godly 
sorrow  has  been  our  tonic.     Tliere  are  men  every- 
where who  liave  never  begun  to  find   the  present 
possibilities  of  their  character  because  tliey  have 
never  known  a  great  sorrow.     The  smelting  has 
not  been  perfect  enough  to  bring  out  the  gold. 

A  father  brought  his  daughter  to  a  musical  in- 
structor for  voice  culture.  The  daughter  was 
asked  to  stand  upon  the  stage  in  ir  large  hall  and 
sing.  The  father  and  instructor  stoi,  J  in  the  dis- 
tance to  estimate  her  effort.  "Well,"  said  the 
father,  "  what  do  you  think  she  will  make  ?"  "I 
can  not  tell  you,"  answered  the  inst,  uctor,  "her 
voice  has  a   vast  compass  and  is  of  pure  tone.     I 


11 


m 


18t 


o/r  or  Tllh)  iAlSUVK 


111) 


I 

I 


i 


could  tell  you  bettor  wlmt  hIu'   would  iiuiUc  if  I 
could  break  her  heart. " 

Forj^ivoiu'ss  is  none  the  less  precious  because  it 
Ih  ho  readily  offered.      Mow  l)oldly  we  conn'  and 
Huy,  "  Father  forj^ive  me."      Do  we  eoesider  wluit 
it  costs   him   to  forj^ive   us?     We   speak    of  oiu- 
sensitive  natures  and  say  that  the  errors  of  our 
fellow  men  rasp  af.;ainst  our  souls  so  that  we  can 
hardly  endure  their  coarseness.     We  say  they  are 
not  kindred  spirits   with   us.      But   what  of  the 
holy  .sensitiveness  of  him  v.'hose  perfect  charueter 
was  never  stained  by  a  tiiii.jeof  wron;;  purpose  or 
of  wronj?  doing.     T)o  not  I  know  that  my  dullness 
and  darin}^  sinfulness  must  rasp  as  if   into  the 
very  cpiick  against   the  sensitive   nature  of  my 
Christ?     Out  of    that    nature,    while   amid    the 
lowest  surroundings,  came  forth  such  saying  as 
these,    "  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart."     "Who- 
soever looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her  hath 
committed    adultery    with    her    already    in    his 
heart,'   and    "  I  am  the   truth."     When  Christ 
comes  to  save  your  soul  it  is  like  an  angel  reach- 
ing deep  into  the  mire  for  a  pearl.     And  I  do  not 
mean  here  the  soul  of  a  man  whose  habits  are  vile 
beyond  other  peoples,  I  mean  the  most  respect- 
able kind  of  a  sinner  who  slights  the  mercy  of 
heaven.     We  do  not  consider  it  so  very  wonderful 
that  the  man  who  was  lost  deep  in  drunkenness 
or  criminality  should  rejoice  with  exceeding  joy 


*  : 


THE  Itr.hKMt'TUtS  OF  soiinow 


I  ;i<.i 


iiiiiUc  if  T 

jcc'Uiwc  it 
'tunc  iiiul 
idiT  wliiit 
1<  of  mir 
rs  of  our 
it  wo  can 
r  they  ivro 
tit  of  tho 
cluinictcr 
urj)i)si'  oi' 
f  dulliiosH 
iiilo  tin- 
re  of  my 
amid  tho 
sayiiif^  us 
"Who- 
•  her  hath 
y  in  his 
en  Christ 
gel  reach - 
d  I  do  not 
ts  are  vile 
;t  respect- 
mercy  of 
wonderful 
unkenness 
ceding  joy 


because  his  sins  are  forj,dvon,  but  is  it  not  truo 
that  the  nnm  wlio  has  l„...(i  sav(>d  fi-otit  the  .1 
things  ouf^ht  to  I),,  as  tiianivful  as  the  niun  who 
has  been  saved  out  of  them  ? 

Does  some  one  say,  O  the  love  of  fJod   nuikes  it 
easy  for  iiim  to  forgive.      I  roply,  yes,  but  love  is 
not  Insensible,  love  is  not  stupid,  love  is   not  mi- 
true.      But  with  full   recognition  of  the  sin,  with 
exact  estimate  of  its  vileness  and  in  perfect  con- 
sciousness of  all  that  it  ho"  cost  to  save  the  sin- 
ner,   love   eagerly,    abundantly    i)ard(ms.      God's 
attitude  is  rather  the  iU  itudc  of  truth  than  of 
resentment,  and  truth  is  not  thrust  down   when 
a  sinner  is  forgiven,  it  is  asserted,  upheld,  hon- 
ored, glorified.     That  struggle  of  the  truth  in  the 
face  of  our  moral   fuIs<-hood  broke  the   heart  of 
Jesus  Christ.   Brother,  it  was  for  tli(>e  and  for  mo. 
Why  wait  for  fires  oi-  floods  or  sickness  or  per- 
secution to  break  your  heart;  is  there  not  appeal 
enough  in   the  goodness   of  God?     Does  not  the 
tenderness  of  his  voice  within  your  soul  nuvke  you 
tremble  with  sorrow  that  you  have  so  long  re- 
jected it?     If  I  must  be  constrained  by  any  influ- 
ence, let  it  bo  such  an   influence  as  God's  good- 
ness, or  God's    love.      Now,  even   now,    may  tho 
icy  heart  of  your  winter  melt  away  and  the  new 
world  spring  into  existence,  even  a  world  where 
sorrow  is  unselfish. 


T" 

J. 


THE  DIVINE  UNFOLDING. 


'h' 


.'?■«■ 


"  Wo  docoivo  ourselves,  doubtless,  in  this  way,  im- 
agining' that  because  wo  have  the  whole  Scriptures,  and 
are  conversant  with  all  their  great  truths,  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  necessarily  working  in  us.  Wo  need  a  baptism 
of  the  spirit  as  much  as  the  apostles  did  at  the  tune  of 
Christ's  resurrection."— /{(((rcii. 

•■It  would  be  a  blessed  day  wliicli  should  witness  the 
descent  of  tho  Holy  Ghost  anew  upon  the  whole  Christ- 
ian church.  Hut  to  as'c  for  this  woulu  be  to  ask  for 
uncovenanted  grace,  c'or  tho  majority  of  Christians  aro 
not  in  a  receptive  condition.  Veiisels  must  bo  emptied 
of  earth  before  they  can  be  filled  with  gold.  'I'hero 
must  be  an  intense  thirst  before  Jesus  will  give  these 
living  waters."— JJcn.  Dmilcl  Slcclc,  S.  T.  D. 

"  Wlim  the  Cumfoitcr  In  come,  whom  I  irilt  scml  unto 
you  from  the  Fdthci;  even  the  Siiiril  of  tnilh.  irhidi  yro- 
cccdcthfrimi  the  Father,  he  nhdll  hair  wihics;,  of  me;  ami 
Veal80  8)inll  hear  wUiicsn,  because  yc  have  been  iviai  me 
from  the  beffumimj.  These U.L.f in  hacc  I  simkcn  untA>  you, 
Vmt  ye  should  not  he  nuide  to  stuiiUtle.  Thcij  nhall  put  you 
out  of  the  synn^jO{iucs,  yen.  the  hour  comcth  that  whosoever 
kllleth  you  shall  think  that  lie  offercth  service  loito  Wod. 
And  these  thlnys  mill  they  do  h'xausc  they  ham  not  known 
the  Father  nor  me.  But  tlicsc  thiuyn  have  I  s/wte/i  unto 
you,  tluit  when  their  hour  w  coine  yc  nuiy  remember  them, 
how  that  I  told  you.  And  these  t/tiiir/.s  /  n<nd  not  unto  you 
from  the  hajlnnimj  because  I  was  witii  you.  Hut  now  1 
{lO  unto  him  that  sent  me;  aiul  ntmc  of  you  askcth  me, 
Whither  yoest  thouf  But  because  I  ti4ive  spoken  these 
things  unUt  you,  sorrow  1mUi  filled  your  heart.  NevcrUielesa 
I  tell  you  the  truth;  it  is  expedient  for  youthat  I  go  away, 
for  If  1  (JO  not  away  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you; 
but  If  I  go  I  will  send  him  unto  you.'' 

—John  xv:  26,  27;  xvi:  4-7.  (R.  V.) 


Ills  way,  im- 
ripturos,  and 
tho  Spirit  of 
d  a  l)aptism 
t  tlic  time  of 


witness  tlio 
pfholo  Christ- 
[>  to  ask  for 
liristians  aro 
i  bo  emptied 
fold.  There 
II  {five  tlieso 

tl  xend  until 
I,  which  pro- 
s  of  mc;  (Hill 
ecn  tvHh  vw 
en  nnUi  you, 
ihiill  putyoH 
at  whoHocvef 
cc  unto  Goil. 
ic  not  known 
tfixikcn  unto 
icnihcr  them, 
not  unto  you 
Hut  now  I 
i  nskctJi  me, 
^policn  tJienc 
NevcrUicless 
It  I  yo  away, 
lie  unto  you; 

4-7.  (R.  V.) 


THE  DIVINE.  UNFOLDING. 

^HO  can  imagino  tlu.  dittifullios  to  b,>  eiuoun- 
terc^il    when    God    proeecded     t„    i„,foId   the 
•swi-etscf  rris  pure  natuiv  a..<l  the  privile^rcs  wl,i,h 
he  would  grant  to  in.Mi,  of  I,iu-h  and  rieh  eon.Mum- 
ion  with  himself  in  such  days  as  tho.e  of  Abel  and 
Enoch   and   Abraham.      I-,,,,  ue   must  not  forgot 
that  the  infiuenees  of  m^.re  perlVelly  stated  truHis 
coneerning   Go.1   and  ourselves  have   alTected  our 
ptironts,  and,  inueed,  all  eivili>;ation  t..  such  a  vast 
extent    that  to  have   been    bo.'n  as  we,   in   these 
civilized  countries  of  the   world  and  in  this  age, 
was  to  be  started  out  in  life  with  an  almost  inli- 
nite  profusion  of  opportunity  and  advantage. 

It  was  not  always  so.  See  behind  those  hills 
of  time,  yonder  in  the  distance,  those  darker  days. 
The  pillar  of  fire  has  not  yet  appeared.  The 
prophets'  souls  have  not  yet  borne  their  great, 
strong,  healthful  messages,  nor  has  a  live  coal  off 
the  altar  touched  their  lips.  The  'psalmists  have 
not  yet  sung  of  Jehovah,  the  Shepherd,  Leader, 
King;  and  the  sweet,  holy  ministry  of  the  Son  of 
God  has  not  yet  broken  like  fragrant  incense 
upon  the  darkened  minds  and  sinful  Iiearts  of  the 
people.     It    were   difficult,    indeed,    to   estimate 


'■--'^ip»  ?-■_-.■>-;.'■ 


wluit  it  inoant,  to  unfold  the  lliiiijrs  of  Ciod  out 
on  Ihc  cdgos  of  those  conturios.  It  is  always 
diflicult  to  put  •rvciii  truth  in  lan<ruafv(>;  it  must 
luivo  boon  ospc'ciiiUy  diflicult  to  put  the  things  of 
God's  glory  into  the  language  of  the  ea.:ier  peo- 
ple, so  deeply  fallen  into  rebellion  against  Him. 
How  beautiful  the  unfolding. 

The  voice  of  God  is  h(>ard  calling  for  liis  lost 
child,  '<Adam,  where  art  thou."  Tiiis  is  the 
great  starting  point  of  that  which  culminates 
later  on  this  earth,  in  the  expression  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  dwelling  amid  eager  welcomes  right  within 
the  soul  of  the  redeemed  creature—this  the  morn- 
ing star,  that  the  noon-day.  Lot  us  trace  these 
unfoldings  that  we  may  the  better  see  how  impor- 
tant it  is  for  us  to  believe  with  deepest  purpose 
in  the  largest,  completest  unfolding  of  the  God- 
nature  to  man — the  Holy  Spirit. 

God  has  called  to  liis  lost  child.  That  voice 
alone,  its  tones;  how  they  must  have  stirred  the 
heart  of  Adam.  I  think  he  is  sayinf,  "Will  he 
speak  to  me,  will  he  yet  speak  to  me."  For  you 
Know  these  early  people  (and  the  race  is  not  rid 
of  the  same  moral  defect  even  to-day)  feared  the 
voice  of  God,  and  when  he  spake  to  them  from 
Sinai  they  said,  "Let  not  God  speak  with  us  lest 
we  die." 

Again,  he  appeals  to  the  patriarchs  and  calls 
every  man  to  be  a  priest  in  his  own  household;  the 


THE  D/r/.vK  iwFOLnrxa 


un 


f  God  out 
is  iihviiys 
(>;  it  must 
things  of 
i.-ioi"  pco- 
liiist  Him. 

V  liis  lost 
lis  is  tlifi 
ulininutes 
[  the  Holy 
;lit  within 
the  morn - 
•ace  these 
Tiw  iinpor- 
t  purpose 
the  God- 

^hat  voice 
tirred  the 
"Will  he 
For  you 
s  not  rid 
'eared  the 
hem  from 
Ih  us  lest 

and  calls 
?hold;  the 


individual  and  the  family  are  broujrht  into  possi- 
ble connnunion  vvitli  liimself.  What  a  revelation 
this  must  have  been  to  these  early  people. 

Again,  tlie  law  is  given  amid  the   fears  of  the 
people;  the  words  are  uttered,   '•  Thou  shalt  "  and 
"  thou  Shalt  not."      '-Now,"  I  think  n)en  say  to 
each  other  after  their  fear  has  subsided,  '-This  is 
very  plain;   we  understand;  we  must  not  kill;  we 
must  not  steal,  and  we  must  love  him."     What 
penitent  anxious  for  communion  with  his  God  and 
willing    to   make  his  life    righteous    before  him 
would  not  have  been  willing  to  say,  "It  is  enough 
we  will  seek  to  obey;  yea,  we  will  sufTer  in  obedi- 
ence if  we  may  but  gain  the  favor  of  the  great 
Eternal,"  but  already  they  had  had  more  than  this. 
The  sacrifices  were  being  ofTei-ed ;  great,  strong  an- 
nouncements of  godly  faith  were  being  made,  nor 
shall  they  cease,  for  the  Lord  continues  to  unfold 
his  nature  to  man,  expressing  himself  in  symbols 
and    tokens   and  certain   forms  of  worship  and 
service,  especially  in  better  places,  and  the  tab- 
ernacle is  made  after  his  own  designing.     Not  one 
family,  but  many  are  called  together  to  commune 
with  him,  and  in  the  forms  of  worship  the  unfold- 
ing of  his  own  thought  and  heart  become  more 
and  more  apparent  to  the  people,  while  from  the 
mercy-soat    in    the    holy   of     holies    beams    the 
Shekinah.     This  was  a  mysterious,  abiding  light, 
perhaps  not  unlike  the  sun-dog  in  the  sky,  still 


i 


140 


orr  OF  Tin-:  caik-life 


and  quiot,  but  radiant — beautiful  symbol  of  the 
presence  of  ITim  of  whom  John  later  said,  "  God 
is  light." 

And  now  as  the  unfolding  of  his  nature  contin- 
ues, the  prophets  bear  witness,  the  kings  live  and 
die,  the  nations  grow  and  wane,  the  Psalmists 
sing,  the  priests  pray,  scones  of  great  deliverance 
appear  as  pledges  of  covenants  made,  strong 
warnings  are  uttered  against  the  sins  of  the  na- 
tion, God's  people  arc  taught  to  separate  them- 
selves from  the  idolaters  round  about  them,  while 
now  and  again  a  man  risesi  baptized  with  great 
assurance,  saying.  ''Thus  saith  the  Lord."  As 
if  to  sav  he  who  called  for  his  lost  Adam  is  still 
calling. 

Then  the  light  broke  like  the  dawn  of  the 
morning  from  the  hills  and  the  brief  but  plain 
prophecy  of  Moses  began  to  come  into  its  fuller 
expression  of  meaning  upon  the  lips  of  Isaiah  and 
of  the  minor  prophets  concerning  the  com- 
ing deliverer.  It  must  have  been  like  a  feast  to 
the  soul  for  these  men  to  have  felt  imi)elled  to 
have  uttered  their  mer^sages.  Take  the  youthful 
Isaiah,  scarcely,  if  quite,  out  of  his  teens,  utter- 
ing such  words  as  these,  "Unto  us  a  child  is  born; 
unto  us  a  son  is  given,  and  the  government  shall 
be  upon  his  shoulder;  and  his  name  shall  be 
called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  mighty  God, 
the  Everlasting  Father,   the    Prince   of   Peace. 


/^ 


THE  DIVINE  UNFOLDINO 


Wi 


And  tlioiv  shall  coiiio  forth  u  md  out  of  the  siciii 
of  .Torso,  and  a  lo'ancli  shall  growoiil of  Ins  roots; 
mid  the  spirit  of  tho  Lord  shtiU  r(>st  upon  liini, 
the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  undorstiindin<r,  tho  spirit, 
of  oounsol  and  miglit,  the  spirit  of  knowledge,  and 
of  tho  fear  of  tlio  Lord;  and  slial!  niako  him  of 
quick  understanding  in  llio  fear  of  the  Lord,  and 
ho  shall  not  judge  after  tho  sight  of  his  eyes, 
neither  reprove  after  the  hearing  of  his  ears.  But 
with  riglit(>ousness  shall  he  judge  tho  poor,  and 
reprove  with  equity  for  the  meek  of  tho  eartli; 
and  he  shall  smite  the  oartli  with  the  rod  of 
his  mouth,  and  with  the  breath  of  his  lips  shall 
he  slay  the  wiclcod.  And  righteousness  shall  bo 
the  girdle  of  his  loins  and  faithfulness  the  girdle 
of  his  reins." 

What  joy,  what  unspeakable  rapture  must  have 
ravished  th(^  hearts  of  these  men  amid  their  ordi- 
nary sorrows  when  they  uttered  such  words  as 
those.  Bui  behold,  O,  holy  wonder,  there  ap- 
pears that  one  from  above  born  of  Mary  in  Beth- 
lehem of  Judea.  Tho  people  call  him  Prophet, 
King,  Rabbi.  The  sin-stricken  ivoman  at  the 
well  of  Dychar  as  she  speaks,  keeps  expressing  his 
name  in  better  titles;  first  she  calls  him  "sir," 
later  "  prophet,"  then  telling  of  her  belief  in  the 
coming  Messiah  she  dares  to  say,  "Can  this  be 
the     C/irisf? " 

He    appears    among    the   people,    poor    with 


;,•«' 


14HI 


oirr  or  tiik  caix-i.ifk 


tlic  poorest,  wi-ury  witli  tlic  weariest,  shiiulei-ed 
uiul  opposed  witli  tlie  most  persecuted,  t(>aeli- 
ino;  us  no  iimn  ever  taii<z:Iit.  fullllliiijr  tlie  law, 
livin<ra  diviiu>  lite  and  surely  tlioiif^'li  slowly  be- 
comintr  the  evident  deliverer  of  the  people.  Now, 
(!od  has  unfolded  himself  as  so  intensely  syini)a. 
thetie  that  ho  is  beside  us  in  our  babyhood,  him- 
self  incarnate  a.s  a  little  child,  he  reclines  at  our 
dinner  tables,  ho  lakes  the  littlechildren  up  iu  his 
arms  and  blesses  them,  he  heals  our  sicknesses, 
ho  for<j;ivcs  our  sins,  he  feeds  our  hungry,  ho 
touches  our  dead  and  they  live.  Could  Abel  or 
Enoch  or  Abraham  have  seen  this  so  fully  ex- 
pressed as  the  peoj)le  of  the  day  of  his  apjjoaring 
saw  it,  how  they  would  have  exulted. 

Immanuol,  Inimanuel,  God  with  us.  And  sin- 
ners touch  him. 

But  this  is  not  enough;  humanity  is  a  redeemed 
humanity  and  wo  arj called  to  feUowshlp  with  the 
infmito  God,  in  eternal  years  destined  to  bo  like  him 
and  to  glory  in  liim,  yes,  and  to  express  through 
eeaseloss  days  of  eternity  the  wealth  of  the  heart 
of  God.  Hence  Jesus  stands  forth  in  the  presence 
of  the  people  while  they  celebrate  Feast  of 
Tabernacles  at  Jerusalem,  the  very  city  where 
God  had  unfolded  much  of  the  wealth  of  himself, 
in  the  design  of  the  great  temple  and  its  worship; 
to  tell  the  people  of  the  coming,  greater  glory  yet 
to   break   upon    their    vision    and    enrich    their 


TUK  DH'ISE  i:m'oli>ish 


140 


ho 


souls.  Jt  \\;is  tli(.  lust  (lay  ol'  llic  feast.  ()l1'(>r- 
iiigs  of  walci'  wcr.'  heiu;-'  l)i'()u;^lit  fnun  Siloarn 
and  pfcsciittHl  lit'forc  tlic  Fiortl.  Skins  and  jars 
well  lillcd  with  thcpurc  li(iiiid  were  Iiandcd  forth, 
and  aiipropriatc  oil'crino-s  wt  i(>  bcino;  c'i'U'l)ratt>d. 
Iff  loukrd  upon  it.  and  tlicMi  tiiis  jrivat  ctl'oi't  o' 
Ct;d  to  iMifoid  himself  to  humanity  brou^'ht  out 
Iho  larger  lesson  whieh  the  water  syndxilizod,  in 
these  words.  '-If  any  man  thii-st  let  him  come 
unto  mo  and  drink,  he  that  Ix-lievetli  on  me  us  the 
Seiipture  hath  .said  out  of  his  belly  .shall  flow 
rivers  of  living  water." 

An(m  lie  continue.s  this  .strain  of  announcement, 
telling  of  gi'oater  things  to  come.  Ho  says,  "I 
go  unto  my  Father  but  I  will  send  the  Comforter 
(the  Paraclete);  you  would  rejoice  if  you  love  me 
because  I  said  I  go  unto  the  Father,  for  if  I  go 
not  unto  tlio  Father  the  C(miforter  will  not  come 
imto  you,  even  the  spiiit  of  truth  whom  I  will 
send  unto  you  from  the  Father."  Now  observe, 
it  is  said  that  that  utterance  of  his  about  the 
water  at  the  feast  was  spoken  concerning  the 
Holy  Spirit.  These  are  the  words  which  follow 
it,  "This  spake  he  of  the  Spirit  wliich  they  that 
believed  on  him  were  to  receive  foi  the  Spirit 
was  not  yet  given  because  Jesus  was  not  yet 
glorified." 

Jesus  bids  his  people  tarry  for  the  coming  of 
the  Spirit.     God  had  things  to  tell  to  men  which 


M 


i: 


sr!^'';:3:r!!"5!iai!iaP' 


150 


OIT  OF  Ttlt:  VAIX-LIFK 


M' 


11  ^ 


thoy  could  not  hcur  as  vet  and  Cod  liad  (hin.rs 
to  show  to  iMcii  wliicli  tlicy  rould  no!  yet  ondiiiv. 
Jesus  is  "tlu'  ('tTul;r{«nc(>  of  God's  glory  and  the 
vory  iniar,'o  ofliis  sii^stuncc."  but  tlio  unfolding 
can  he  niado  inoro  .'xjn-cssivc  and  can  ont>T  more 
deoi)ly  into  tlio  hcart-roalizalion  of  humanity, 
hence  they  wore  bidden  lo  look  foi-  the  i-oming  of 
the  Holy  Si)irit. 

And  now  the  day  has  broken  over  the  eastern 
city,  and  with  it  tlunv  brc  ilvs  over  tiie  hearts  of  the 
male  and  female  folio, .ers  of  Jesus  assembled  in 
the  ui.per  i-oom  at  Jeru^alem.  the  ii^dit  of  the 
hitherto,  fullest,  brightest  expression  of  fiod  to 
humanity  ever  yet  witnessed. 

The  local  represcntatii  n  of  God  in  Jesus  as  a 
man  among  us  luis  been  withdrawn,  the  invisible 
expression  of  God  in  the  very  spirit  of  Jesus  him- 
self has  been  ushered  in.  It  is  a  new  day,  the 
Christian  idea  has  become  full-orbed  and  the  high 
noon  of  fellowship  with  the  great  Father  rests 
steadily  over  the  faithful  peojile,  with  Die  prom- 
ise that  it  shall  rest  over  succeeding  centuries, 
unti'  ;iie  Ixingdoms  of  this  world  have  become 
the  kingdiiiiis  of  our  T.ord  and  of  his  Christ  and 
he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever.  Had  God  re- 
mained manifested  in  the  local,  vi^  e  Christ,  in 
the  man  Jesus  how  different  all  would  be.  What 
pilgrimages  bound  for  Palestine  would  be  organ- 
ized by  the  thousand,  in  succession,  all  over  the 


ir 


Tiir  un'ixi:  r.vroA/)/A7; 


lai 


ruitli.  Wliiit  woiirinoss  uiid  sicknoss  and  doath 
would  follow  ill  tlic  wuK-c  of  the  ^rrcut  assonihlics, 
wlial  iXMi-  pcoiil,.  would  !),.  uiiiil.lc  to  pn.vidf  for 
llic  trip.  Wliiit  str;nij,'i'  di-clininir  of  tlio  ^rcat 
plan  would  appear  as  we  would  tend  to  ap- 
proach I'alcstiac  as  a  siiii^io  country,  ratlicr 
llian  lookiri<f  out  as  w(>  now  do,  upon  tlio  wliolc 
world  us  liolonfriiifr  to  our  riii'ist.  lie  is  no  less 
present,  unseen  than  seen.  As  he  said,  he  is 
with  us  ill V. ay.  His  incarualion  was  rather  a 
hidin;f  of  I'le  vaster  wealth  of  his  nature  behind 
a  veil  of  flesh. 

But  we  see  him  now  in  this  larf,'er,  fuller,  com- 
pleter expression  of  the  hidden  wealth  and  glory 
cf  his  nature.  O.  blessed  day  !  The  Pentecost  I 
The  unceasinrr  Pentecost,  the  unwilhdrawn  pres- 
ence is  yours  and  mine,  he  shall  abide  with  you 
forever. 

Before  Jesus  had  yet  ascended  Ho  breathed 
upon  His  followers  saying,  "Receive  ye  the  Holy 
Sjjirit  ?"  Perhaps  they  were  ine(>nipetent  to  re- 
ceive Ifiui  fully,  for  this  woidd  not  be  the  lirst 
time  Tfe  had  corrected  their  slowness.  But  now  cm 
this  Peiitecost  day  his  breath  is  increased,  until 
there  is  the  .sound  as  of  a  rushing,  mighty  wind, 
and  it  fills  all  the  place;  where  they  are  as- 
sembled. There  is  life  in  that  wind,  and  God  is 
in  the  wind.  And  the  unfolding  of  His  nature  is 
so  correctly  perceived  by  the  people  that    they 


14: 


Immcdiutcly  pui'takcor  ilu>  sacriCuial  spirit,  tli.'ii- 
syiii|iutliifs  arc  auakciicd  and  tlicir  love  ai)i)iinds. 
Tlicy  pn'si'iit  ihcir  ffmids  and  divide  llicin,  \m>\)- 
aiily  aniiin;,'  lliosc  wiio  had  cKnic  a  Inn^f  distance 
and  Iiad  run  short  of  nwans.  I'cter  e\[)lains  the 
iii(id«'nl,  assuring  them  tiiat  tliis  aeiords  witli  tlie 
l)nmiis(>  of  (;od  eoncernintr  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  they  i)ej^in  to  proclaim  u  thorough  rocovory 
from  iniipiity  for  Jew  and  Gentile  alike,  the 
young  conimnnioii  takes  on  holy  life  and  m-w 
inoinbor.ship,  the  Lord  adding  daily  such  as  aie 
being  saved.  Now,  lions,  nor  fires,  nor  stocks, 
nor  scourge,  nor  deep  dungeon  avail  to  afTect 
llieir  urdor,  but  right  on  toward  deatli  they 
move  counting  it  all  joy  that  they  are  reckoned 
worthy  to  sufTer  for  the  name  of  Jesus. 

And  this  unf».lding  of  the  divine  mituro  contin- 
ues in  our  day.  It  is  (Jed's  tender  purpose  to  un- 
cover, in  so  far  as  we  can  stand  the  gaze,  the  secret 
brilliancy  of  His  nature,  and  to  bring  us  as 
a  redeemed  people  to  tluit  condition  where  we  can 
truly  realize  tlie  fulness  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
And  the  highest,  purest,  grandest  expression  of 
God's  natuie  toman  is  iai  the  Holy  Spirit.  No 
wonder  Peter  designated  the  day  in  which  lio 
lived  "  the  end  of  the  times."  (See  1  Peter  i:20 
R.  V.) 

This    blessed    uni\;]ding    or   evolving    of   the 
Divine  is   such    a   disMi\ct    characteristic  of  his 


'/•///;  hn-i\i:  ryroi.inyn 


nn 


I'l'dvid,  lie-    IIkiI    \v,.    iiiiiy    well    si  iiily     i|    u    |i|tl,. 
IMMC    clnM-ly.       Take    tin-     .l.-wisli    i.,.,,],!,.,     tli<.y 
were  ciillcd  lube  (;,,.l'.s  |H>ciiIiar  |ii>n|.l(.  fni-   tlioy 
wci'o    made     III.'     fTuardians    ..f    J I  is     rcvrlatioii 
and    tli(<    l.-adci's    in     tlic    faitli,     until    rinist'.s 
tonchiii^rs  look  n.ol   and   th.-n   Ihc  plan  nianifcsts 
itself  as  iniludin^r   tl„.  wh,.!,.  liunian    nic(>  in   its 
scopo.      Th.Mi  IVtciinlci-invts  the  words  of  Joel's 
propliocy,  •TIuis  suitl.  lli,.  Nonl.T  will  ^hmv  forth 
of     my     spli-it      upon     all     fli'sli."     and     .shows 
us      that       this      proi)li('cy       was     lindlnj;;     its 
cxpivssion     in     P.-ntirost.      Tlioso    words,      "ul| 
flesh"     j)oiii'.    to    tli.>    wide     swoop    of   nioaninjr 
in    Christ's   groat   comniisfion   lioforo    Inn   usion- 
sion.    "Go  yo  forth  and  niako  disciplos  of  all  tho 
tuitions."     Simoon   undor  tho  pow(!r  of  tho  Holy 
Spirit  spako  this  samo  i^roat  truth,  saying   that 
Josus  was  "a  light  for  tho  unvoiling  of  the   Gon- 
lilos  and  tho  glory  of  Isruol."   (R.V.)    Very  close 
to  this  touohing  is  that  of  Paul's,  oonoorniiig  the 
relation  of  the  law   to  the  Gospel,   in   which  he 
shows  that  tho  whole  plan  of  the  centuries  comes 
to  its  fulness  hi  the  teaching  that  amj  num  can  be 
.saved  l)y  faitli  in  Josus  Christ  through  tho  power 
of  the  Holy  Spii-it.     Josus  placed  groat  (<niphasis 
upon  this  line  of  thought  when  lu;  said,   "Many 
prophets  and  kings  have  desired  to  .soo  tho  thinTs 
that  ye  have  seen  and  liavoiiot  soon  them,  and  to 
hear    the     things    which     ye    have    hoard    and 


M 


151 


(H'T  OF  THE  VAlX-LlFi: 


have  not.  licurd  Hkmii,"  and  he  did  not 
liositiite  1o  tell  the  people  of  Choriizin 
and  Beilisaida  that  if  the  mighty  works  which 
had  been  done  in  them  had  been  done  in  Sodom, 
the  people  of  Sodom  would  have  rejiented,  but  he 
adds,  speaking  to  his  own  followers,  '-Greater 
things  than  these  shall  vedo.'  Elijahs  method 
of  calliu'!;  for  lire  froii'  ic;  sen  eoiild  no  Ioniser  be 
entertained.  The  ma.  '  of  great  events  moves 
on  up  the  steeps  of  tinu'.  (i(.d  hath  more  to  say. 
Look  at  that  word  "Father"  as  appFnul  to  our 
God.  Rarely  was  sueh  a  thing  thought  of  iu  the 
Old  Testament,  but  Jesus  freely  teaehes  us  to  use 
it  "The  Hebrews,"  says  D-v  Camden  M.  Co- 
bern,  "would  not  speak  the  \\\,fd  whieli  we  ren- 
der Jehovah,  even  in  the  synagogue  reading.s, 
substituting  ftn-  it  Adonai  (Lord.")  But  we  are 
bidden  to  call  Cod  "  Our  Father, "  quickly  girding 
our  reverence  with  the  phrase,  "hallowed  be  thy 
name."  Jesus  ex])lains  why  we  should  use  sueh 
a  title,  and  before  his  crucifixion  repeatedly  illus- 
ti'ates  its  be;;,uty,  while  after  he  is  risen  from 
the  dead  he  uncovers  the  strong,  golden  bond 
which  unites  us  to  himself  with  wonder! ul  plain- 
ness and  equal  condescension  by  saying,  "I  as. 
cend  unto  my  Father  and  unto  your  Father." 
Later,  Paul  takes  up  the  very  same  thought  and 
gives  it  the  Pentecostal  emphasis  by  saying, 
"The  Holy  Spirit  is  .sent   foith  into  our  hearts 


ly 


J"^  -. 


THE  DIViXi:  IXFOLniXG 


did      not, 

Chonizin 
•ks  which 
in  Sodom, 
I'd,  but  ho 
'•  Greater 
s  mctliod 
longer  be 
II  ts  moves 
ire  to  say. 
ed  to  our 

of  iu  tlie 
>  us  to  use 
'n  M.  Co- 
1  we  ren- 

readings, 
ut  we  are 
Iv  iiirdinif 
I'ed  be  tliy 
1  use  sueh 
cdly  illus- 
iscn  from 
Iden  bond 
•iul  plain - 
1,',    "I  as. 

Father." 
lught  and 
y  saying, 
uv  liearts 


crying  <  Abba  Father.'  '  Now,  Jereniialis  (hvuni 
is  coming  to  pass  for  the  new  rvvciHOit  is  being 
cstablisiied. 

Beautiful  beyond  description  is  the  opening  out 
of  this  Scripture  plan,  into  this  Pentecostal  noon, 
day,  so  truly  the  highest,  fullest,  grandest  ex- 
pression of  the  divine  thought  that  ever  shone 
upon  the  path  way  of  redeemed  pilgrims. 

There  is  great  beauty,  too,  evident  in   the  ex- 
pression of  God  to  us,  in  thedilTerent  title;,  which 
apply  to  himself       In  tho.se  earlii  r  days  he  was 
manifested  to  the  people  in  such  titles  as  Jehovah, 
the  Lord  God  Almighty,  or  I  Am  that  I  Am.   No- 
tice \-  w  this  unfolding  of  titles  expressing  gn-ater 
nearne.s,    and  rich   with   more   winsome    invita- 
tions,  continues  to  .ncrease  as  th.^  days  come  and 
go.     AVe  have  noticed  that  rai-ely  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament do  we  get  the  title  Father,  but  anon  there 
are  applied  to  him  such   titles  as  Father,   Shep- 
herd, Counsellor,  Prince  of  x'eace.   Then  we  have, 
Jesus,  Saviour,  Lord,  Christ,  Immanuel,  and  later 
Holy  Spirit,   Holy   Ghost,   Spirit   of   Truth   and 
Spirit  of  the  Highest.     These  titles  applied  to  GocT 
have  produced  for  us  an  almost  I'lnitiess  wealth 
of  expression,  especially  in  hymns.      They  have 
served  to  give  us  words  of  few  syllables  and  words 
of  many   syllables,   and    words,    too,  that   would 
rhymn    with   other  words   until    the    singing  of- 
Christian  hymns   has  been    found   possible   as  a 


uu 


Jii 


150 


OUT  OF  TUK  CAIS-LIFK 


means  of  most  diirct  fomiminioii  willi  tlir  jut- 
sdiiul  fiod.  Lot  lis  nolo  just  a  few  (>f  tlic^i-  by 
way  of  illustration,  bt-uring  in  mind  thai  wo  arc 
not  taking  time  irt  give  a  coniplclo  list  of  tliu 
tillos  whifh  apply  to  God. 

"Josus,  lover  of  my  soul."' 

HtM-e  we  I'equire  a  word  of  two  syllables  with 
which    to    express    oui'    Saviour,    and   the  woi'd 
"Je-sus"  beautifully  (ills  the   place. 
"Rock  of  Af,'cs.  clcfi  for  inc."' 

Here  the  poet  has  called  in  the  title  which   re- 
quires four  syllables  in  all.   "  ITock-ol-Ag-es." 

"  I  come,  thou  wouiKl<'d  Laiiib  of  iU.d, 
To  wash  nic  in  thy  cleansing  blood." 

Here  '•  rAinib  of  God  "  requires  three   words  of 

one   syllable    eaili,  making  the   title  beautifully 

harmonious.      H    is   interesting   to   observe    how 

this  same  wealth  of  titles  finds   its  expression  iu 

such  lines  as  the  following: 

"  What  a  woiulci'l'ul  Saviour  is  Jesus— my  Jesu.s."' 

"Como.  Holy  Spirit,  heavenly  dove, 

With  all  thy  quickening  powers." 

"  Come,  Holy  Ghost,  our  hearts  inspire," 

"Come,  Holy  Spirit,  come. 
Send  forth  from  heaven,  thy  homo, 
Thy  cheering  ray." 
It  is  customary  for  us  to  expect  that  every 
great  Christian  revival  shall   be  attended  with  a 


riiK  nnixE  unfold i\a 


1S7 


n-vivul  ill  sin.rin<r,  and  God  has  made  ample  pro- 
vision for  (ho  most  devout  expressions  in  song 
Ihrouj.),  the  unfolding  of  himself  in  this  perfec't 
wealth  of  litl(>s. 

The  title  Tfoly  Ghost  is  used  itself  over  forty 
limes    in    the   Authorized    Version    of    (he    New 
Testumont.     This  does  not  include  sueli  titles  as 
"The  Spirit  of  Truth,"   or  -The  Spirit  of  the 
TTighest,"  whleh  are  used  quite  fretpiently,  espeei- 
iilly  the  former;  and   this  very  fact  alone  should 
invite  Christian  people  everywhere  to  study  eager- 
ly what  this  expression   of  God's  nature  means. 
There  Avas  a  time   in   my  own   life   when   I   fain 
would  havo  changed  his  titles  and  oast  out  alto- 
gether the  words  Holy  Spirit  or  Holy  Ghcst     As 
discouraged    Thomas   proposed   to  place  his  fin- 
gers m  the  very  wounds  of  Christ,  so  gross  was  I 
that  the  title  Spirit  or  Ghost  suggested  at  once 
the  baser  uses  rather  than  the  bett-r.     But  wlien 
I  so  surrendered  my  ail   that   I  might  acquaint 
myself   ■.    th  His   gentleness  and  loveliness,   this 
act  became  like  a  microscope  over  a  flower  !ind  I 
saw  much  wealth  of  beauty  in  the-title.  I  no  lon.r- 
er  wonder   that  it  aboumls  in  the  Scriptures.     It 
shall  also  be  heard  on  my  lips. 


THE  NEEDED  GIFT. 


^mmi 


*'  God  doc8  not  waste  power,  nor  use  tl  ,c  8upcrn.\tural 
where  the  natural  sufflcr.s.  Whrn  buman  hands  may  as 
well  take  away  the  stone,  he  does  not  bid  it  move  with- 
out hands,  or  send  angels  to  roll  it  away.  The  great 
Economist  of  the  universe  works  no  needless  miracles. 
lie  may  choose  not  to  bestow  the  gift  of  tongues,  while 
he  so  stimulates  philological  research  as  that  a  hundred 
languages  hitherto  without  written  form  have  their 
alphabet  and  grammar,  lexicon  and  literature,  and  the 
word  of  Ood  is  without  a  miracle  both  preached  and 
translated  in  over  three  hundred  vernaculars.  In 
our  day,  within  a  space  of  time  in  which  Paul  could 
scarcely  have  found  his  way  to  strange  peoples,  our 
missionaries  learn  to  preach  in  their  tongues,  and  then 
teach  them  to  read  and  write  their  own  language,  and 
present  them  with  the  word  of  (.Jod  as  the  first  printed 
book  in  their  own  speech." 

Rev.  a.  T.  Pikr.son,  D.D. 

Ye  shall  receive  the  'jifts  of  thclloly  Ghosl.—A  cts  ii:  38 

"If  wo  did  not  'receive  the  Holy  Ghost'  when  we 
believed,  and  if  we  have  not  'received'  Ilim  since  we 
believed,  and  are  not  living  nmi)  the  Spirit-fllled  life, 
at  whose  door,  then,  does  the  blame  lie?" 

Rev.  Joirx  MacXkil,  B.A. 

"  He  who  wants  ore  must  mine  beneath  the  surface. 
Life  has  little  purpose  and  little  meaning  till  the  scales 
have  fallen  from  our  eyes.  We  lead  little  lives.  Wo 
are  swayed  by  petty  motives.  Wo  are  controlled  by 
trifling  considerations  when  the  infinite  and  eternal 
crowd  closely  upon  us.  It  is  all  because  our  eyes  are 
holden  that  we  can  not  see.  Even  the  Saviour  himself 
walks  with  us  and  is  unrecognizad.  Vision  is  what  we 
need."  Rev.  Joseph  F.  Berry,  D.D. 


supcrnritural 
ands  may  as 
.  movo  with- 
Thc  great 
3SS  miracles, 
igucs,  while 
it  a  hundred 

have  their 
nro,  and  the 
roachf'd  and 
iculars.      In 

Paul  could 
peoples,  our 
es,  and  then 
nguage,  and 
first  printed 

SON,  D.D. 

-A  cts  ii:  38 

t '  when  we 
m  since  we 
t-filled  life, 

'kil,  B.A. 

the  surface. 
11  the  scales 
i  lives.  Wo 
mtrolled  by 
and  eternal 
ur  eyes  are 
our  himself 
is  what  we 

IRY,  D.D. 


THE  NEEDED  GIFT. 

\)U'k  are  now  upon  tho  heights  of  the  super-rea- 
sonable— the  super-reasonable  rather  than 
the  un-reasonable.  Like  life  itself,  we  can  not  ana- 
lyze it  and  allot  its  parts  and  tabulate  its  ele- 
ments. It  is  super-reasonable.  The  cold,  literal 
critic  may  say  it  is  unreasonable,  yet  he  lives. 
So  here  the  same  critic  may  say  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  dwelling  with  men  is  unreasonable.  We 
answer,  yes,  from  youi-  standpoint,  unreasonable, 
but  from  ours  not  unrcaUzenhle.  The  miraculous 
help  of  God,  a  victorious  power  from  without  us,  is 
imperatively  needed  and  it  is  realized.  "  Eye  hath 
not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  but  unto  us  God  re- 
vealed it  through  the  Spirit." 

The  Apostle  John  says  that  "The  Holy  Spirit 
was  not  yet  given  for  that  Christ  was  not  yet 
glorified."  Is  not  the  Holy  Spirit  God,  and  has 
not  God  always  been  here?  Why  divide  the  sub- 
ject, then?  Here  a  great  many  people  appear  to 
have  been  confused  and  others  discouraged.  Fruit- 
less discussions  about  the  Trinity  and  about  de- 
grees of  grace  have  discouraged  and  slain  a  mul- 
titude here. 


i: 


I 


May  tluit  blcssinl  Spirit  now  g-jvo  us  tlio 
patience  und  tl\e  willin^mess  to  Iciirn  the  teach- 
ing '1;..t  w.i  may  botti  r  uuderstancl  what  is  meant 
by  this  expression,  "He  was  not  yet  given,"  or 
"  !{.  \s  not  yet."  Was  not  the  Holy  Spirit 
alvvuys  i;  "e  world?  Yes,  indeed;  in  the  account 
of  the  Creuiu  1  at  the  close  of  the  second  verse  of 
the  first  book  of  the  Bible,  it  is  said,  "  The  Spirit 
of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters."  It 
appears  also  that  a  close  translation  of  this 
second  verse  in  the  book  of  Genesis  would  read, 
"The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  brooded  tenderly  over 
the  face  of  the  waters."  (Well  may  we  remember 
that  when  the  Lord  made  those  oceans  and  these 
continents,  he  did  it  with  a  tender  touch,  and  the 
lilies  and  the  roses  bear  the  marks  of  the  delicacy 
of  a  divine  movement.)  Holy  men  of  old,  too, 
spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  said  to  have  come  upon 
Sampson,  he  is  said  to  have  come  upon  Bazaleel 
and  Aholiab.  Jesus  was  conceived  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  John  the  Baptist  was  filled  with  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Of  Simeon  it  is  said,  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
upon  him  and  it  was  revealed  unto  him  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  that  he  should  not  see  death  until  he 
had  seen  the  Lord's  Anointed,  and  he  was  led  of 
the  Spirit  into  the  temple.  Jesus  was  led  of  the 
Spirit  into  the  wilderness,  the  Holy  Spirit  de- 
scended upon   him  at  the  baptism. 


I 
■ 


'Li 


THE  NEEDlll)  niFT 


ic,3 


Yes,  surely  he  luis  uhvuys  been,  as  the  Father 
and  the  Son  have  always  been,  but  he  was  nut  yet 
given  because  tlie  time  was  not  yet  fulfilled.     Let 
us  illustrate.    A  mother  bought  a  pretty  piece'  of 
goods  and  made  from  it  a  dr(>ss  for  her  daughter, 
little  Mai-y.    She  was  a  girl  of  seven  years.   Now, 
tlie  dress  was  all  finished  and  placed  away  in  some 
drawer  or  closet,  where  little  Mary  might  not  see 
it.     One  day  her  aunt  comes  to  her  mother's  home 
for  a  visit.    The  mother  and  the  aunty  slip  quietly 
away   so    that    Mary  does    not   see    them,   and 
there    the  dress  is  taken  out  and  shown  to  the 
aunty  who  admires  it  and   delights  in  the  joyful 
prospect  of  Mary  getting  her  beautiful  Christmas 
present,  the  new  dross.     After  a   few  days    have 
gone  by,    grandma   comes    to    visit.      The   little 
dress   is  taken    out   and   shown  grandma.     She 
admires  it  and  speaks  of  the  pleasure  it  will  give 
the  child  when  ChriUmas  comes;  and  later  still, 
little  Mary's    father,    whose  occupation  compels 
him  to  be  much  from^  home,  returns   for  a   brief 
stay  with  the  family.     The   little  dress  is  taken 
out,  the   fatlier  examines   it   and   pronounces  it 
very,  very  nice.     By  and  by  the   much-expected 
Christmas  morning  has  surely  at  last  come  to  the 
city.     Father    and   mother   are   both   awakened 
early,  while  little  Mary  comes    hurrying  over  the 
threshold  into  their   room   to  find   out  what  her 
Christmas  present  shall  be.     Christmas  greetings 


•*■-.., 


I  ! 


'I  I 


in» 


OUT  OF  Tin:  CAIX-LIFE 


arc  i-ivscnlcl  will,  the  inoniiiig   kisses  and  all  is 

ivady.     Til..  iiiotluT,  taking  tho  little  dress  in  Iut 

liunds,  elotlies  her  little  child  in  itund  stands  baeU 

a  piere  t(.  see  how  it  looks,  wiiilo  the  little  gii'l 

walks  about  the  room  niinjrlinfr  her   delight  with 

that  of  her  parents.     Christmas  morning  has  eonie 

and  the  present  is  given,  but  it  was  not  yet  given 

v.hei.  the  aunty  eame  visiting  or  when    grandma 

eame  or  even   when    father   eame,  for    Vhrislmas 

?'v^s•  nut  yet  come.    But  when  the  fullness  of   time 

had  brought  around  tiie  anniversary   of  the   dear 

old   day,    when    the  child    would    appreciate  the 

present  most  and  when  it    was  most  appropriate 

that  it  should  be  given,  then  she  received  it  and 

wore  it  as  her  very  own.     Even  little    Mary  may 

have  .seen  that  piece  of  cloih  when  it  arrived,  but 

nil  the  answers  received  to  her  questions  about  it 

were  so  indefinite  that  she  was  but  little  the  wiser 

concerning  it.     Now^  however,  it  is  hers. 

So  the  Holy  Spirit  came  out  of  the  bosom  of  the 
Godhead  in  creation  but  he  was  not  yet  given  be- 
cause the  time  was  not  yet  fulfilled ;  he  came  repeat- 
edly and  was  manifest  as  we  have  seen,  but  tlie 
time  must  have  its  preparations  like  the  bread  in 
its  rising.  By  and  by  when  the  stars  had  given  all 
the  light  they  could,  when  the  moon  had  shone 
its  iuilest, when  the  sun  had  risen  and  had  sent 
its  first  rays  of  morning  and  the  high  noon  of 
gospel  privilege  came  on,  the  clock  of  God's  prov- 


Tiin  m:i:i>i:i)  iuft 


\M 


and  all  is 
CSS  in  luT 
inds  i);K'I< 
little  frirl 
fj;lit  with 
;has('()nu' 
yet  given 
grand  mil 
.Vaisttnaa 
■i  of  time 
tlio  dear 
L'iate  tlie 
propriate 
I'd  it  and 
ary  may 
ived,  but 
about  it 
the  wiser 

5m  of  the 
jiven  be- 
('  repeat- 
but  the 
bread  in 
given  all 
d  shone 
lad  sent 
noon  of 
I's  prov- 


V 


f? 


^ 


idenee  struek  twelve,  the  wind  l)lew  and  the 
clovi'n  tongues  like  as  of  lire  sat  upon  the  people 
audit  was  day,  goMpe!  day.  I'entei-ost  Day;  and 
the  night  has  never  followed  it. 

Now  let  us  insist  u|)on  this.  Tiie  Tfoly  Spirit  is 
the  e.xpression  of  t;od  especially  made  for  the  day 
in  whieh  we  are  living.  Peter  does  not  say  that 
the  Penteeost  sc(«ue  is  the  fuKiUing  of  Joels  proph- 
ecy, He  simply  says,  '-this  is  that  whieh  hath 
been  spoken  by  the  jjrophet  Joel."  If  you  will 
compare  tiie  second  eiiapter  of  Act-  .vith  the 
second  chapter  of  Joel's  prophecy  you  will 
see  that  there  remains  a  wider  signilicanco 
yet  to  be  realised  by  the  children  of  men  in  the 
dispen.sation  of  the  Ploly  Spirit.  Soi  ial  irregu- 
larities are  to  be  brought  into  order,  and  the  con- 
dition of  the  vast  mulliludes  of  jjcople  is  to  bo 
marked  by  a  reconstruction  rich  with  greatest 
grace.  The  positive  need  of  our  rireiving  him  as 
a  gift,  so  that  we  shall  realize  the  possibilities  of 
the  day  of  grace  in  which  we  live,  is  so  great  that 
we  may  well  tremble  with  the  thought  of  our 
daring  cm  the  one  hand  and  of  our  neglect  on  the 
other.      We  need  a  very  pentecoat  of  faith  to-day. 

Think  of  the  teaching  which  Paul  gave  to  new 
converts  from  heathenism.  And  what  messatres 
Jesus  gave  to  the  multitudes  of  people  who  did 
not  seem  to  possess  spiritual  insight  enough  to 
catch  but  the  slightest  influence  of  his  great,  di- 


i^i! ' 


Mil 


OVT  OF  Tlir  CAIX-UFE 


vine  iii('iiirm;f.  Wlifii  \vc  lliink  lliiit  vvc  iirc  liv- 
iiij^  ill  tlif  irri'iitcst  (lay  of  opiM. it  unity  tliiit.  tlio 
world  luis  I'vi'i- seen,  how  it  slioiild  stir  oui"  very 
souIh  to  a  fuith  wliicii  will  ln-in^iiH  siicli  u  victory 
iiH  men  hitluT'  )  l..ivc  never  proven  or  even  iinu)^- 
ined.  No  people  from  the  diiys  of  Alindiiini  to 
the  days  of  Siiimii  Peter,  or  from  tlu'  days  of 
Simon  Peter  to  the  days  of  the  f^enoratlon  juHt 
proeedinj^  us,  has  had  sueh  an  opportunity  to  know 
and  prove  CJod  as  we  have  to-day,  throiij^h  this 
gift,  //(('  iihiiliny  yift.  Jesus  said  of  him,  "  He  shall 
abide  with  you  forever."  The  Lord  send  into  the 
hearts  of  liis  people  everywhere  the  prayer  of 
George  Whitelield,  "Oh,  TiOrd,  make  me  an  ex- 
traordinary Christian." 

God's  orders  are  always  spccifie  orders.  It 
will  not  do  for  \is  to  simply  generalize  the  teach- 
ing and  say  that  we  have  the  substance  anyway, 
what  more  do  we  need;  for  since  he  has  out  of  his 
love  revealed  the  particulars  to  us  we  are  called 
upon  to  receive  the  truth  in  his  own  way.  A 
man  who  has  never  learned  music  may  sit  before 
a  i)iano  and  say:  The  music  is  in  this  instru- 
ment, all  you  have  to  do  is  to  touch  the  keys  and 
bring  it  out.  There  are  only  so  many  keys  any- 
way and  consequently  you  can  only  get  so  much 
music  out  of  the  instrument;  so  lie  begins  to 
touch  the  keys  with  his  untrained  fingers,  but  no 
music  results.     Ho  must  particularize,  learning 


■*^^4V.»- 


77/f;  s'khded  nirr 


m 


ivc  ;ir(>  liv- 

tliiit    tli(> 

'  our  very 

1  ii  vii'lory 

'V(>M  illlil}^- 
iM'illllllll    to 

u'  (lays  of 
afum  just 
ty  to  know 

•Ollfrli    tliia 

"He  shall 
(1  into  the 
pruycr  of 
ic   an    cx- 

rders.      It 

the  teuch- 

e  anyway, 

out  of  his 

are  called 

way.      A 

sit  before 

lis  iiistru- 

i  keys  ami 

keys  aiiy- 

't  so  much 

begins  to 

rs,  but  no 

,   learning 


Utile  by  liiilc  if  li,.  would  be  a  niusieian,  and  wg 
iiHNl  iiai'tii'uliiJ-l.'.e  if  we  would  receive  lliis  revelu- 
lioii  of  our  (iod.      Tiiere  are  few  errors  more  fatal 
lliaii  '.lial  of   relij^iou>    indolence  which  refuses  fo 
think  (iod's   tiioii;,'hts   after  him  when  he  tells  us 
to  receive  the  promise  of    ;'■••  Father  by  faith,  or 
wlien  he  says  ye  shall  receive  tlie  jrift  of  the  Floly 
Ghost.      It  is  idle   for  us  to  «renerali/.e  and  say,  I 
have  given  myself  to  Christ ;  what  more  can  I  do? 
You  can  do  just  rs  much  more  as  the  Lord  calls 
upon  you  to  do;  you  can  do  thi>  most  rational  pos- 
sible thing,  when  the  gift  is  otTered  to  you.      Von 
t'dii    tiihi    tlic   tfift.       There  was  no  generalizing 
when  Ananias  said  to  Saul,    '-He  filled   with  tlie 
Holy  Ghost,"  or  when  I'aul  said  to  theEphesians, 
"Did   ye   receive    the    Holy   fJhost   when   ye  be- 
lieved."    You  know  that  it  is  not  enough  for  ono 
who  wcmld  follow  Christ  to  say  that  ho  believes  in 
God.     He   must  believe    in   God   as   revealed  in 
Jesus,  and  it   is  not  enough  for  one  who  seeks  to 
live  a  godly  life  to  say  that  his  sins  are  jiardoned 
through  Jesus,  Uivthe  (jrait  <jift  is  his  for  thi>  ask- 
ing, even  the  Holy  Spirit.     As  to  the  symbol  of 
the  Tongue  of  Fire  on  the  Day  oi*  Pentecost,  the 
speaking  with  tongues  and   the  sound  as  of  the 
rushing  of  a  mighty  wind,  we  can  not  add  greater 
light   than   by    quoting  from   William    Arthur's 
classic!    ok,    "  The  Tongue  of  Fire. " 

"Among  the  permanent  benefits  resulting  from 


'^'-mfjsmlKp 


1C.8 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIX-LIFE 


I 


PcMilec'osl  \vl'  fail  not  iiu'liido  the  visible  flame. 
Of  it  we  never  again  find  any  mention  in  tlie 
course  of  the  apostolical  history;  it  appears  to 
stand  related  to  the  Cliristian  dispensation  as  the 
fires  of  Sinai  did  to  the  Mosaic — the  solemn  token 
of  supernatural  power  I'pon  its  inaugural  day. 

••Neither  are  we  warranted  in  looking  upon 
the  'gift  of  tongues'  as  one  of  the  permanent 
privileges  of  the  Church.  Only  thrice,  throughout 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  do  we  find  any  record 
that  it  accomjianied  the  first  introduction  of 
OhrioManity  to  a  place;  and  both  those  instances 
are  very  peculiar.  The  first  was  in  the  house  of 
Cornelius,  when  Peter,  preaching  to  his  Italian 
auditory,  felt  some  mistriviii'j  whether  he  mijrht 
not  by  possibility  be  doing  wrong  should  he  in- 
clude them  within  the  fold  of  the  Church;  but  he 
saw  a  great  change  pass  ui)on  the  men  before 
him,  and  heard  thein  begin  to  speak  with  other 
tongues,  and  thus  saw  that,  as  to  themselves  at 
the  first,  so  to  the  Gentiles  the  Lord  had  now 
given  a  Pentecost.  The  other  case  is  that 
whor.ln  the  disciples  at  Ephesus,  who  had  been 
instructed  in  the  baptism  of  John,  but  had  not  so 
much  as  'heard  whether  there  was  any  Holy 
Ghost,'  received  the  word  at  the  hands  of  Pa-al, 
and  began  to  speak  with  other  tongues.  Paul 
shows  the  gift  of  tongues  to  be  destitute  of  any 
power  of  'dification  for  the  Church,  and  therefore 


«Li,: 


liblc  flame, 
ion  in  tlio 
appears  to 
tion  as  the 
lemn  token 
ral  day. 
king  upon 
permanent 
throughout 
any  record 
duction  of 
3  instances 
,e  house  of 
his  Italian 

he  might 
luld  he  in- 
ch ;  but  he 
[icn  before 
with  other 
mselves  at 
I  had  now 
e    is    that 

had  been 
had  not  so 

any  Holy 
s  of  Paul, 
lies.  Paul 
ate  of  any 
1  therefore 


THE  NEEDED  GIFT 


]()9 


not  to  bo  a  gift  likely  to  continue  where  all  wore 
convinced  of  the  truth  of  Christianity.  'Tongues 
arc  for  a  sign,  not  to  them  that  believe,  but  to 
them  that  boliove  not."  The  only  specific  use 
assigned  to  the  miracle  is  that  it  is  a  sign  to  thom 
who  believe  not.  In  any  ccamunity,  then,  in 
which  the  whole  population  had  become  believers, 
this  sign  ceased  to  bo  called  for.  Wo  are  not 
called  upon  to  say  that  it  will  never  be  roslorod 
to  the  Church,  for  that  is  never  said  in  the  Word 
of  God;  nor  should  we  ridicule  or  talk  disrespect- 
fully of  the  faith  of  any  Christian  who  devoutly 
oApects  its  restoration.  All  we  say  is  that  wc 
have  not  Scriptural  ground  t(i  claim  it  as  one  of 
Ihc  permanent  gifts  of  the  Spirit;  and  we  may 
add  that  if  it  ever  returns  to  the  Chui'ch  it  will 
be,  not  a  mystification,  but  a  miracle,  a  real 
speaking  with  'other  tongues,'  not  a  speaking  in 
some  unheard-of,  unknown  t'ingue.'' 

No  emphasis  is  placed  upon  the  sound  as  of  the 
rushing  of  the  wind  in  the  permanent  dispensa- 
tion of  the  Spirit.  But  the  gift  is  ours,  and  his 
presence  is  as  evident  as  the  expression  "receive 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost." 

Nothing  is  more  apparent  to-day  among  believ- 
ers than  that  we  arc  in  groat  need  of  some  kind 
of  a  power  to  pump  up  Die  energies  of  the  peo- 
ple and  give  us  enough  real,  constant  flood  of  ac- 
tivity to  keep  us  moving.      Formality,  coldness 


sr 


170 


OUT  OF  Tilt:  CAIN-LIFE 


•     I  5 


i 


•':         ": 

|H| 

1;': 

'if 

i  i; 

i'i 

and  a  strange  incapacity  for  gripping  spiritual 
forces,  the  luci»  of  power  to  impress  humanity 
with  the  living  t.ruth,  of  courage  to  overcome  the 
barriers  which  stand  constructed  in  tlio  path  of 
the  child  of  the  \'ingdom,  these  all  give  evidence 
of  a  great  need  ol  a  divine  anointing.  Wc  catch 
hold  of  truth,  we  ne.  ■  o  have  the  truth  take  hold 
of  us.  We  express  ourselves  as  clinging  to  Jesus, 
wo  need  to  have  the  Holy  Spirit  impart  Jesus 
himself  within  us.  We  need  life.  We  know  that 
life  as  a  condition  is  very  hard  to  describe,  but 
O,  how  it  moves  things  when  we  get  it. 

Take  these  words  of  Christ  to  which  we  re- 
ferred previously,  when  he  said  that  the  man  who 
received  the  Holy  Ghost  should  have  rivers  of 
living  water  flow  out  of  him  There  is  not  a  par- 
ticle of  our  pump-system  in  that  statement  of 
his.  How  wearily  v;3  make  our  way  in  the 
struggle  against  sin,  lifting  a  little  here  and  there 
and  then  lacking  the  very  ambition  to  do  more, 
though  it  lay  right  at  our  hand  to  do  it. 

Take  our  assemblies  for  Christian  testimony. 
How  often  a  strange  slowness  seems  to  call,  as  if  in 
agony  for  some  kind  of  an  impetus  to  set  things 
going.  The  fountains  are  frozen  and  the  wintrs 
are  tied.  Look  at  the  leader.  How  he  works! 
It  is  pump,  pump,  pump.  Here  him  say,  "Now 
is  there  not  one  more  who  would  speak  a 
'.vord     for     Jesus."       Then     failing     to     get   a 


THE  SEEDED  (ilVT 


171 


g  spii'itual 
humanity 
?rcome  the 
he  path  of 
•':-  ovidoiice 
Wo  catcli 
h  take  hold 
5  tf)  Josus, 
jart  Josus 
know  that 
scribe,  but 

oh  we  rc- 
e  man  wlio 
rivers  of 
not  a  par- 
-tement  of 
ly  in  the 
■  and  there 
)  do  more, 

;ostimonj'. 
all,  as  if  in 
Bet  things 
the  wings 
lie  works! 
ay,  "Now 
speak  a 
to     get   a 


response,  "Let  us  sing  again."  Ho  oalls 
for  a  testimony,  to  be  answered  perhaps  with  a 
very  bi'ief  expression,  uttered  in  such  low  tonrs 
that  only  a  few  can  hear  it.  Yet  this  is  not  the 
core  of  the  difficulty.  The  meeting,  sung  to  a 
conclusion  rather  than  admit  a  failure,  is  closed, 
and  the  tone  of  the  spirit  of  the  affair  is  expressed 
in  the  same  wearisome  word,  juimp,  pimijy,  pK)»j>. 
The  same  is  often  true  in  church  finanoinjr.  Re- 
cently  I  heard  of  a  pastor  whose  congregation  was 
much  addicted  to  social  amusements  and  tobacco 
using,  asking  for  a  contribution  of  two  hundred 
dollars  for  foreign  missions  and  receiving  forty 
dollars.  The  Sunday  school  was  appealed  to  to 
help  in  the  matter  and  a  competition  was  inaug- 
urated. The  officers  of  the  Sunday  school,  other 
than  the  teachers,  together  with  each  class,  en- 
tered into  the  competition,  and  when  it  had  end- 
ed the  officers  had  succeeded  in  getting  together 
the  most  money,  hence  they  were  entitled  to  the 
prize,  and  by  the  time  the  pastor  had  gotten  a 
prize  such  as  was  at  all  appropriate  for  grown 
people  like  the  officers,  almost  the  total  amount 
of  their   contribution  was  exhausted. 

Christian  America!  According  to  the  Internal 
Eevenue  statistics  and  other  reliable  sources  of 
information,  during  the  last  year  spent  five  hun- 
dred and  fifteen  millions  of  dollars  for  tobacco  and 
five  million.s  for  sending  the  gospel  to  the  heathen. 


:  liil 


173 


orr  OF  THE  catx-ljit. 


ir 


Characterize  it  by  the  same   word,  pump,  punii), 
pump. 

We  cry  ''liaril  times  '  with  tlio  world.  Great 
expenditures  for  fii-eworks  and  gala  days  go  right 
on — the  coronation  ot  the  Russian  Czar,  Nicholas 
II.,  costs  a  million  pounds  sterling  (not  including 
human  liv(\s)  on  the  one  hand,  and  a  company  of 
people  in  one  assembly  on  the  American  shore  of 
the  Atlantic  contribute  one  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars for  missions  on  the  other  hand,  in  one  day. 
Then  a  gentle  apology  must  be  made  for  such 
open-heartedness  and  the  people  must  be  warned 
against  S2)asmodic  devotion.  But  to  go  into  the 
subject  of  church  financing  would  require  a  book 
of  itself.  Just  to  touch  it  can  scarcely  fail  tv>  vo~ 
mind  the  Christian  of  the  all  but  caustic  words 
of  Jesus,   "Where  is  your  faith?"' 

Our  organization  is  wonderfully  comp'ete,  ov.v 
churches  ai'c  comfortable,  our  methods  ot ;  r'avel  arc 
convenient,  our  homes  urc  beautiful,  musical  in- 
struments areplenf'.i'.j),  j,iod  books  and  magazines 
and  pa[  rs  abound ,  and  t :,  day  of  greatest  oppor- 
tunity which  everd.ivvnecl  upon  mortals  is  her(\  yet 
we  lack,  sadly  lack,  that  which  makes  the  life  an 
overflow  of  benevolence,  and  I  fear  that  we  are 
given  to  spend  much  of  our  time  trying  to  prime 
the  pump.  In  some  parts  of  this  country  they 
very  easily  do  away  with  that  necessity  by 
striking  an  artesian  vein,  then  the  water  pumps 


Ui 


t"*il 


'itliA. 


'/•///■;  \i:i:ni:n  hiit 


17.T 


np,  punii), 

d.  Great 
s  go  right 
,  Nicholas 

including 
mipaiiy  of 
1  shore  of 
Lisaiid  dol- 

one  day. 

for  such 
30  warned 
)  into  the 
ire  a  boolc 
fail  to  V.'- 
itic  words 

•i'ete,  Our 
:i'avel  arc 
usioal  in- 
magazinos 
est  opjwi'- 
■>  her(\  yet 
I  lie  life  an 
lat  we  are 
\  to  prime 
ntry  they 
-ssity  by 
c"   pumps 


ilsclf.        I,rl     IIS    Mill    (In    aiivlhiii^j;  else   but    lh;il. 

oni'    lliinj;'    wliicli   wi'l    briip;-    Ihc    supply    lo   (iiir 

needs.    Id     us    bi'Iii'V^'    in    tin-    Mnly    Spirif    and 

reeeiv(>  hiiii    by   I'ailli.      Drar    <'hristian,    thyself 

take  llic  -';il'(. 

Tn  the  Iioiur.  in  tlie  n'alm  uf  sociaJ   ci'stiriiis.  in 

the  pulpit  and  in  fact  "  ery\vh(-i'e  to-day  we  are 
losing   power    frum    want  of    emphasizing    that 

which  is  of  first  importance.  Doing  is  not  neces- 
sarily succe.'ding.  Success  is  not  fidelity.  On 
the  farm  tl  c  thing  tn  cinpha^i/.'.' du''ing  the  cl.md- 
burst  is  III)!  i-t)rn  planting,  and  the  thing  (o  eui- 
phasi/.c  in  the  autumn  is  lalhci'  \ho  gathering  of 
th.e  fi'iiit  than  tiaiiiiiig  the  vines.  C'ymnastics 
are  valuulde,  l)nt  who  wnuld  think  (if  eiuphasi/.lng 
the  ])ractiee  cf  gymnastics  while  in  tli.^  chair  of 
ii  barber    shop? 

Look  again  at  the  Ihirtci'nth  ihapter  of 
Corinthians.  Over  and  over  and  over  afain. 
.I\!u!  lays  emphasis  upon  the  grace  of  Love. 
He  uojcribcs  it,  he  classifies  it,  he  analyzes  it,  ho 
illustrates  it,  he  commends  it,  until  when  you 
have  read  the  chapter  through  yon  say  there  is 
one  thing  to  do,  "I  must  receive  the  grace  of 
love  or  'I  am  nothing.'"  John's  Gospel  repre- 
sents Jesus  as  enipliasizing  Li(//if  and  Life.  Again 
and  again  he  usos  those  two  vital  words,  Life, 
Light;  Light,  Tjife.  Jesus  says  that  he  performed 
many  of  Ids  mii-acles  and  uttered  many  of  his  say- 


y-w/amm^^ 


ill 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIK-LIFE 


ings  to  supply  the  people's  specud  needs.    He  did 
not  do  or  say  just  because  the    actions    or    the 
words  were  in   truth,   but  because  they  wore  in 
the    truth  which    needed    emphasis.       Take   the 
single  illustration  of  Jesus'  words  just  before  bid- 
ding Lazarus  come  forth  into  life  again.   He  said: 
"Father,  I   thank    thee  that    thou  hearest  me, 
*     *     *     but   because   of    the    multitude   which 
standeth  around  I  said  it  that  Ihey  may  believe 
that  thou  didst   send  me."     Jesus  did  not  deal 
with  questions  of  botany  or  astronomy  or  geology 
in    his    teachings.      Ho    emphasized    the   needed 
truth.     General  truths  about  nature  and  about 
man  or  about  God,  no  matter  how  often  or  how 
well  stated,  will  not  bring  in  the  reign  of  love  and 
the  victory  over  self.     The  gospel  is  not  -a.  gospel 
only.      The  thrill  of   joy  and  faith  and  hope  and 
lovo  which  springs  through  the  very  soul  of  that 
gospel  cornes  from  the  heart  of  the  living  Jesus. 
And  Che  people  need  him,  and  each   other.     We 
do  not  so  need  to  get  a  blessing,  much  less  to 
"gee  religion,"  but    we   need    to  get  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and   this   will  make  us  serve  our  follows. 
If  the  puipit  everywhere  would  truly  preach  Jesus 
to  the  people — not  about  him,  but  HIM,  the  Lord 
would  energize  our  thoughts  and  open   to  us   tlie 
gospel,  until  we  would  be  astonished  at  the  possi- 
bilities of  our  mission;  and  the   perplexing   ques- 
tions of  science  and  of  society  and  the  language 


■•^■^ 


~'^mw^,jf;sK-7^i^mem^^^:tr^f''.i^;iii^mim 


cds.  He  did 
ions  or  the 
hoy  wore  in 
Take  the 
t  before  bid- 
in.  He  said: 
hearcst  me, 
itude  which 
may  believe 
lid  not  deal 
y  or  geology 
the  needed 
!  and  about 
>ften  or  how 
1  of  love  and 
not  -a  gospel 
nd  hope  and 
soul  of  that 
ving  Jesus, 
other.  We 
iiuch  less  to 
;t  the  Holy 
our  fellows, 
preach  Jesus 
M,  the  Lord 
1  to  us  the 
at  thepossi- 
?xing  ques- 
e  language 


THE  SEEDED  GIFT 


175 


of  nature  would  be  caught  into  the  train  of  this 
message,  as  the  autumn  leaves  are  beliinda  swift 
train  of  cars.     Then,  the  jjirate  spirit  would  be 
supplanted  by  tlio  rescue  spirit.     Why  must  wo 
have  and  do,  whetherrightcously  or  questionably? 
Why  do  we  establish  a  lot  of  other  little  govern- 
ments with  which  to  help  the  Lord  maintain  his 
authority  and  often  with  the  vain  plea  of  helping 
him  support  his  church  ?     As  the  Russians  say, 
"The  better  is   the  worst  enemy  of  the  best.'" 
Ah,  God  has  called  us  to  superiority  and  we  must 
receive  and  know  him  in  the  most  superior  ex- 
pression of  himself  before  we  will   feel  shame  at 
the  thought  of  anuisi)ig  ourselves    to   feed    the 
poor,  or  of  our  penurious  methods  of  giving  and 
working  for  the  kingdom  of  lK>aven.     In  themat- 
ter  of  offerings  the  old  Jewish  law  called  for  the 
first  and  the  unblcmLihed.     Later  the  standard 
has  been  elevated  rather  than  lowered,   but  we 
can  not  reach  it  unless  our  souls   thrill  with  the 
divine  presence,  which  emphasizes   the  all  impor- 
tant, and  generally  refines  the  conduct. 

Yet  after  all  it  is  not  so  mugh  the  matter  of 
what  is  done  or  given  as  it  is  tliat  the  quality  of 
our  choices  and  the  emi)hasis  which  bears  our 
faith  are  inferior  or  misplaced.  No  amount  of 
cultivating  and  planning  will  give  the  refined 
power  to  our  undertakings,  but  the  Holy  Spirit 
will.     And  it  seems  to  be  one  of  the  chosen  de- 


..  "t ; 


¥< 


n 


I7rt 


(HT  Of  TJIH  CALS-Lll'K 


vices  of  llio  oncniy  to  Imsy  iis  with  ii  (lioiisniid 
rc^nlatiiMis  ralhcr  llian  consciil  fiuitdiii' iittcit- 
lion  sboiild  ho  j^ivcn  to  (li.)  one  lliiii^f  ncrdl'iil  - 
the  ffift  of  the  Ifoly  Spirit. 

Yon  know  timt  the  so-called  soiirly  lire  is  at, 
tlic  opposite  poh>  from  tlio  missionary  lif(>.  Now, 
the  thing  to  be  emphasized  in  this  dayof'eom- 
foris  and  opportunities — hi  this  day  of  Christ,  is 
surely  the  salvation  of  the  world,  and  either  tlio 
missionary  is  a  relif'ious  fanatic,  or  else  tlie  so- 
ciety church  mer  .)er  is  coldly  sellish.  The  con- 
trast is  too  Vreat.  Look  at  thes(>  two  classes  of 
people  without  any  prejudice.  What  wouki  you 
say  of  the  first  class — the  missionary.  AVliy,  she 
acts  as  if  some  great  sacrifice  had  become  the. 
very  passion  of  her  life.  Now,  what  would  you 
say  of  the  second  class — the  society  woman  ? 
Why,  she  acts  as  if  she  meant  herself  to  bo  some- 
body and  have  a  good  time.  That  kind  of  lan- 
guage does  not  represent  Christ.  O,  let  us 
change  the  emphasis.  Let  us  either  restrict  the 
zeal  of  the  missionary  or  pray  for  the  baptism  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  hoiae-stayer. 

What  would  Jesus  do  ?  Children  of  Ciod,  there  is 
a  great  inheritance  in  store  for  us  upon  this  earth. 
We  may  not  have  the  strength  of  body,  mind  or 
soul  that  Paul  and  other  missionaries  have  had, 
but  there  never  was  a  gi-eat  motive  in  any  of 
their  souls  and  there  never  was  a  grace  in  any  of 


li  u  (lioiisiiiid 
it  our  citlcii- 

!l^    IKTllrill      - 

!y  lilc   is  :if, 

life.  Now, 
day  of  "cMiiii- 
of  Christ,  is 
1(1  oithor  tho 

(•Isf  llio  so- 
I.  T1h>  cuii- 
,V()  cliisscs  of 
1  would  you 
Wliy,  Hlio 
I  hcooiiu'  tiu», 
t  would  you 
ty   woman  ? 

to  be  some- 
kind  of  lau- 

O,  let  us 
I'estrict  tho 
'  baptism  of 

'iod,  there  is 
n  this  earth, 
dy,  mind  or 
^s  have  had, 
/e  in  any  of 
ice  in  any  of 


Tur:  XEr:rii:D  otft 


iti 


th.  ir  ihiiiactcrs  which  you  and  I  may  not  share 
through  theunuinting  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  the 
Lord. 

"  Tho  Master  hath  noed  of  tbo  reapers, 

And,  idler,  he  calleth  to  thee; 
Come  out  of  tho  mansion  of  pleasure, 
"  From  tho  halls  where  the  careless  may  be. 
Soon  tho  shadows  of  eve  may  bo  falling 

With  the  mists,  and  the  dew  and  rain; 
O,  what  are  thy  joys  and  tiiy  follies 

To  tho  blight  and  tho  waste  of  tho  grain? 
O,  what  are  thy  wants  to  tho  suumions. 

And  what  are  thy  griefs  and  thy  pain  ? 

Here,  too,  is  the  very  secret  of  theChiistian  Re- 
vival.  It  is  not  for  us  to  get  up  an  expression  of 
enthusiasm,  or  for  thatmatter  to  get  up  anything 
else,  excepting  humanity.  It  is  for  us  to  get 
down  from  on  high  that  power  of  God  which  will 
cause  us  sweetly  to  keep  tally  with  his  wooing 
grace.  Do  you  not  see  that  no  true  revival  can 
be  realized  without  the  most  implicit  reliance 
without  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  you  can  not  put 
truth  into  a  man's  heart  as  you  would  empty  a 
basketful  of  apples  into  a  barrel.  -  It  must  rather 
get  there  as  music  does  into  the  heart  of  one  who 
gives  himself  to  it,  awakened  to  the  desire,  per- 
haps, by  hearing  some  great  musician.  Wlien  we 
truly  honor  the  Holy  Spirit,  without  a  shade  of 
clinging  to  our  reputation  or  comfort  or  under. 
standing,  oven ;  then  he  has    found  the   ehannel 


!  * 


11 


mi 


178 


OUT  OF  THE  CAlS-l.lFE 


llirough  wliicli  ho  can  work,  and  just  as  the  wator 
will  How  copiously  out  into  the  opoii  (•hunucl  !)(>. 
Urv  it,  so  till'  blessed  Spii'it  will  i)our  his  eoiiviet- 
iiiff  und  savir.g  jri'uce  through  our  work,  until 
there  sluill  be  great  rivers  Uid(>n  with  heavenly 
provision  cairied  forth  to  supply  the  needs  of  hun- 
gry humanity.      Wliat  a  holy  eomnieree  ! 

Let  us  hear  again  those  words  of  Jesus  at  the 
last  day  of  the   great  feast,  telling  us    that   the 
work  of  the  FToly  Spirit  sliouh',    .   ike  a  man  like 
a   fountain,    out  of  whieh   flow    rivers  of    livin" 
water.      It  would  liave  h'^en  a  great  saying  had  he 
said  that  the  fiow  should  bi'  as  the  meadow  brook. 
But    no,    it    is  rivers;      Mississippis,     Amazons, 
Thameses,  Niles  and  Danubes.     A  man,  one  man, 
shall  thus  be  like  a  vast  supply  station,  shipping 
the  supplies  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.      There  ap- 
pears a  ship  freighted   with    prayer  and  money 
for  the  heathen  in  Asia.      There  appears  another 
freighted  with  food  and  elolhing  for  the  famine- 
strieken  people  of  some  other  country.      Here  go 
cargoes  of  toil  and  constant  fidelity  with  gifts  to 
schools  and  orphanages  in  another  region,  and 
here   again     are  gifts    to    hospitals,    and    great 
freights   of  praise   mingling   as    precious    spices 
with   the  cargoes   going  to  many  ports,  and  all 
sailing  under  the  colors  of  Calvary.     Hallellujali! 
How  things  will   move  when   the  Holy  Spirit  is 
truly  honored.     Then  shall  we  not  see  the  figures 

O 


Tin:  SF.KDEn  (HIT 


170 


as  the  water 
(•IiuniicI  1)0- 
I'liisconvic't- 
woi'lc,  until 
111  licavtMily 
it'cds  of  hiin- 
•co  ! 

fcsus  at  tho 
lis  that  the 
'  u  man  like 

S    of     livilinr 

iying  had  he 
adow  brook. 

Amazons, 
m,  ove  man, 
»n,  shipping 

Thoro  up- 
and  money 
lai's  another 
the  famine- 
Here  go 
■ith  gifts  to 
region,  and 
and    great 
ions   spices 
rts,  and  all 
Hallellujah! 
ly  Spirit  is 
the  figures 


for  lohaico  l)iu'y  almost  too  d.-cp  for  a  resurrec- 
tion til,.  Ii^ui'..sf.,r  Missions.  Then  shall  the  vast, 
world-wide  revival  appear,  and  we  shall  be  one 
in  victory  as  we  are  our  in  the  IToly  Spirit.  Tluit 
revival  -m  ,,„iy  ,„,   ...^  wave,"  it   will  be  a 

tide.  ,nll   not  only  be   individual,    it  will   be 

mutual.  It  will  not  only  (piickiMi  the  intellect,  it 
will  mn-h-  the  intellect.  It  will  not  only  make  the 
soul  happy,  it  will  make  it  .sacrificial.  It  will  not 
only.s^V  the  feelings,  it  will  ,  auni  them.  And 
to  that  revival  tli,.  word  ^^aftrr"  can  never  bo 
company. 

Whei .  is  the  spirit  of  proph,.,y  ?     Not  that  wo 
require  anything  approaching  the  egotism  which 
would  caus..  us  to. seek  to  excel  our  fellows  in  a  sort 
of  religious  fortune  telling.      Prophecy  primarily 
has  not  so  much  to  do  wHii  the  future  as  it  has  to  do 
with  the  present.     When   men   r..quired  to  learn 
at  God's  hands  the  lesson  concerning  divine  wis- 
dom over- reaching  all  time,  then  prophecy  espec- 
ially required  the  vision  of  the  future,  and  that 
very   teaching  becomes  a  mighty  inspiration  to 
our  hopes  and  beliefs  to-day.     But  the  spirit  of 
propiiecy  will  give  us  insight  as  well  as  foresight; 
by  it  we  shall  see  the  movement  of  God  and  take 
hold   of  the    victory    brought  to   view  by  faith. 
When  Joel  said,   "  Your  sons  and  your  daughters 
shall  propfiesy   and    your  young  men   shall    see 
visions  and  your  old  men  shall  dream  dreams," 


i 


.:^^ 


M^'^ 


^>%^, 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


/. 


// 


/- 


S.    %" 


f/j 


^ 


Z. 


^ 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


[f  i^  IIIM 

1^  1^    III  2.2 
.^   1^    is 

H:  1^  12.0 


1.8 


U    III  1.6 


V] 


<? 


/^ 


/ 


d? 


/ 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


^ 


^ 


s 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for 


Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


\  f 


;i';i' 


i1 


1 


d''  I. 


180 


orr  OF  riiE  cAtx-urfj 


he  inouns  tliiit  the  savin^^  should  luiw  a  blcssod 
fulfiUment. 

Let  II  man  reeeivo  the  Jloly  Spirit  and  he 
has  the  insight  into  God's  nioveuient;  ho  has 
the  conception  of  God's  care  and  of  God's  heart- 
breakings,  and  he  has  the  conception  of  the 
victory  of  h)ve  over  hate,  and  of  good  over  c\il, 
and  he  laiows  it;  and  sceinj^  liow  the  lingers  of 
God's  providence  are  jioinlinif  tculuty,  he  gets  his 
own  individual  commission  and  proceeds  to  fuliiU 
it,  conscious  that  the  wink  is  God's  own.  We 
need  to  keep  tally  with  God.  We  i  eed  that  com- 
munion in  service  which  makes  the  service  divine. 
The  prophetic  insight  is  evidently  one  of  the 
greatest  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  most 
common   results  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  in-dwelling. 

At  the  salutation  of  Mary,  Elizabeth  is  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  then  right  promptly  she  calls 
Mary  '-the  mother  of  my  Loid."  Mary  herself 
has  been  the  recipient  of  the  same  blessed  .spirit 
and  proceeds  to  answer  ler  in  that  i)rophetic 
poem  beginning,  "My  soul  doih  magnify  the 
Lord,"  her  insight  reaching  forth  until  she  dares 
to  announce,  "henceforth  all  generations  shall 
call  me  blessed,"  and  "he  hath  put  down 
princes  from  their  thrones."  Zacharias,  the 
priest,  Elizabeth's  husband,  being  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit,  sees  in  John  the  prepared  way 
"whereby    the   day-spring   from  on    high    hath 


t? 


—/'-  /L 


a   blessed 

t  uiid  he 
: ;  he  has 
id's  heart- 
Ill  of  Ihe 
over  c\  il. 
lingers  of 
!io  gets  his 
s  to  fulilU 
own.  We 
thtit  corn- 
ice divine, 
ne  of  the 
the  most 
-dwelling, 
filled  with 
y  she  calls 
iry  herself 
ssed  spirit 
j)rophetic 
gnify  the 
she  dai'cs 
ions  shall 
)ut  down 
xrias,  the 
d  with  the 
>aved  way 
liigh    hath 


h 


TUr  XKF.l>r.D  GIFT 


18t 


visited  us  and  men  shuH  serve  Cod  without  fear." 
Simeon  coming  in  the  Spirit  in  the  temple,  having 
the  Holy  Spirit  u\nn\  him,  and  it  being  trrcalnl 
(nuirk  you)  unto  him  by  the  Holy  Siiirit  that  he 
should  not  see  death  until  he  had  seen  the  Lord's 
anointed,  sees  in  Jesus  "a  light  for  the  un- 
viiling  of  the  nations  and  the  glory,  ay, 
the  glory  of  Israel.''  Joliu  filled  witii  Die 
Holy  Spirit  sees  well  through  Jewish  legal- 
ism and  Roman  seKlsin  regarding  man's 
relation  to  man,  and  recognizing  that  larger 
bi-otherhood  of  which  the  angels  had  sung  over 
Dcthlehem,  he  says,  '-He  that  hath  two  coats  let 
him  hnpart  to  him  tliat  hath  none,  and  h(>  that 
hath  food  let  him  do  likewise.  Then  cometh  lie 
mightier  than  I,  Ht  shall  baptize  i/ok  with  the 
Holy  Ghost."  John  saw  it.  Jesus  bade  his  apos- 
tles not  to  be  anxious  when  they  were  delivered 
up  before  governors  and  kings,  for  it  would  bo 
the  "Spirit  of  their  Father"  wlio  would  speak  in 
them.  Now  note  the  words  of  Joel.  Peter  quotes 
without  any  reduction  of  meaning  or  cautious 
comment  as  if  to  pare  them  down,  '-Your  sons 
and  your  daughters  shall  pi-Qphesy  and  your 
young  men  shall  see  visions  and  your  old  men 
shall  dream  dreams."  Paul  catches  up  the  same 
thread  again  and  says,  '•'VVe  know  not  what  to 
pray  for  as  wi'  ought,  but  the   spirit   helpeth  our 


m  iar.ua. 


Join 


Ihe    \.'or. 


cf    Jesus, 


Oirr  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


•Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father,  believe 
that  you  liave  received  it,  and  ye  shall  have  it," 
and  behold  the  •  prophetic  insight  or  rather  that 
insight  which  is  the  very  tide  in  the  waters  of 
prophecy  is  the  essence  of  true  prayer.  By  this 
very  prophetic  anointing  our  experiences  are 
linked,  too,  with  that  of  Daniel  when  he  said 
he  knew  both  the  dream  and  the  interpreta- 
tion which  the  king  asked  for,  and  with  Paul  when 
he  said  on  the  corn- boat  in  the  storm  that  the 
passengers  were  safe, 

Knowing  human  weaknesses,  those  of  others 
and  our  ov/n,  we  may  not  be  too  hasty  about  de- 
claring a  given  conviction  or  fact,  but  the  very 
consciousness  of  it  will  tone  and  shape  our  efforts 
as  the  Holy  Spirit,  its  author,  quickens  oui- faith: 
and  indirectly,  at  least,  the  act  will  represent  tlie 
fact  or  the  conviction.  "I  know"  and  "lam 
persuaded"  will  then  be  phrases  which,  like  electric 
wires,  convey  the  light  from  the  dynamo  to  the 
lamp. 

I  do  not  think  that  Joel  meant  that  the  young 
men  would  lie  down  to  sleep  and  have  brought 
before  their  minds  pictuies  of  horsej  and 
chariots  and  divided  hosts  of  the  enemy; 
this  would  have  been  very  instructive  one 
day.  This  kind  of  vision  had  proven  so. 
But  I  think  he  meant  that  young  men  would  get 
the  spiritual  eye  opened  until  they  would  sit  down 


f] 


THE  SEEDED  UIFT 


18,1 


in  their  oflices  or  toil  on  Ihcir  farms  or  labor  in 
their  shops  or  ride  their  bii-yelcs  over  the  streets 
or  preach  the  gospel,  while  there  should  be  flood- 
ing their  souls  and  minds  holy  conceptions  of 
what  men  would  bo  like  when  they  became  truly 
Christly  men,  holy  conceptions  of  the  refining  and 
sanctifying  of  mercantile  practices,  of  chastity 
and  virtue,  and  of  home;  the  vision  of  the  doubt- 
laden  man  being  transformed  by  the  power  of 
God  and  becoming  an  example  of  godliness.  Such 
a  vision  would  come  into  their  minds.  They  shall 
look  upon  strange  confusions  created  by  dishon- 
esty in  trade  and  in  courts  and  pharisaism  in 
churches,  and  knowing  God  tliere  shall  appear 
before  them  the  coming  victory  of  the  kingdofn. 
And  when  Joel  said,  "Your  old  men 
shall  dream  dreams,"  I  do  not  think 
that  he  meant  that  they  should  go  to 
sleep  at  night  and  be  disturbed  by  some  dream 
which  in  the  morning  they  would  try  to  interpret 
by  some  strange  rules  which  nobody  knows  the 
reason  for  accepting,  but  I  think  he  meant,  they 
shall  sit  with  their  thin,  cool  hands  upon  the  arms 
of  their  chairs  or  walk  the  streets  aided  by  their 
canes,  or  ride  in  the  trains  or  carriages,  while 
dreams  like  that  of  Simeon  when  he  said  that 
"Christ  was  for  the  unveiling  of  the  Gentiles," 
shall  come  into  their  minds.  They  shall  look 
upon  intemperance  and  say,  "Christ  shall  root 


i     V 


184 


Oirr  OF  THE  CAIX-LIFE 


I 


it,  out.  '  Tlu-y  hluill  look  upon  cvci-y  false  iinihi 
tion  which  artful  men  try  to  plivnt  in  the  bosoms 
of  the  people  of  the  nations  and  they  shall  say, 
"It  shall  bo  rooted  out  and  destroyed."  And  in 
their  dreams  gentleness  shall  be  mightier  than 
the  stoi-m,  love  shall  out-do  all  contention,  peaec 
shall  prevail  over  disturbance  and  death  shall  be 
the  passage-way  to  immortal  service,  in  the  spirit 
of  Christ.  And  these  old  men  nnd  those  yo^ng 
men  sliall  see  light  where  others  shall  see  dark- 
ness, and  the  reign  of  goodness  where  others  see 
only  the  prevalence  of  the  wrong;  they  shall  see 
victory  where  others  see  defeat,  and  where  others 
look  upon  the  surface  and  are  frightened  with  a 
secret  terror,  they  shall  employ  those  strong  rays 
of  holy  shining  and  look  through  the  problem,  as 
very  prophets  of  God. 

Would  that  all  God's  people  were  prophets, 
keeping  tally  with  the  divine  movement 
and  sharing  in  the  divine  triumph.  "We  are 
also  called  to  be  priests,  and  if  we  could 
be  priests,  true  priests  to  God  as  a  peo- 
ple, without  the  prophetic  power,  the  world 
would  fawn  to  us  everywhere,  but  when  we  are 
prophetic  priests  bad  men  will  hate  our  efforts. 
They  know  that  their  badness  is  doomed,  and  like 
the  steady  aggression  of  the  tides  of  the  sea  mak- 
ing their  way  to  the  beach,  so  must  the  Chris- 
tian movement  make  its  way   until    world-wide 


TUK  SEEDKD  OIFT 


IS.-. 


it  washes  away  I  he  woes  <>f  Uu'  pleading  peo- 
ple greeting  it  on  tlic  slmrcs  nf  time.  "  Yc 
shall  receive  the  gift  <if  the  Holy  Spirit." 


1^.       / 


THE  SEVEN-FOLD  RE- 
VEALING. 


3: 


"Wo  mii^t  ffir^rr-l   (iiirsilvi's  .mil  :ill    m'U  iiiK'ii' m  .  ami 
listrii  ;vnil  hi'  ult-nlivi'  toCu.l."  M  \i>vmi   Cim.n. 

riic   Kl'ilil   .M((ir7i(7/i   'III   llihiijs.   jini   Ihi    iUit>  lliiii',r  "f 
Oiii1.—\  (  orintliians,   ii:  10. 

"Thoro  is  ono  thins  tliat  poopln  si\y  vory  circlossly 
tlint  always  scoins  to  nu-  to  !»■  a  dnailful  Uiin^'  for  a 
man  to  say.     Tlioy  say  it.  uln'ii  tlicy  talk  al).nit  tlioir 
lives  to  one  auollifr.  ami  lliiiili    al'o;it    tlicii-  liv(>s  to 
tlici>is.'lv(  s.  ami  liy  ami  by  very  ortct;  -.ay  It  tiixm  iln'if 
doatli-bca  with  IIk-   last   ;;M~i'-  ^'^  1hoii);h    i  iitir  (Milialii'o 
into   the   ctiTiial    worl.l    liail    hi-.niiiht    th.'.u   no   ilcciicr 
ciiliuhtcniiK  III.     Out'   wnmli-M   what  is    tl,.'   revolution 
tliatcoiiKs  to  them  when   they  staml  upon   the  honlfiH 
of  tho  oth.r  N'nle  aii'.i  aiv  in  lUc  full  lifo  aniVc  loinily  of 
(ioil.     'I'lu'  thin-  mm  si>y  is.  '1  havo  ilono  tho  best  I 
can.'     Itisi.n  awTul  1  hi ii^' for  a  man  to  say.     Tho  man 
novc-r  livcil.  savi'  ho  wii.)  pvrl-rtcd  our  humanity,  who 
over  (lid  tho  very  b.'sl    lie  couM.     You  dishonor  your 
llfo,  you  not  simply  shut  your  cyos  to  cfrtain  facts,  you 
not  simply  say  an  inPinit'dy  absurd  and  foolish  thing, 
btit  you  dishonor  your  human  lifo  if  you  say  that  you 
havo  done  in  any  day  of  your  lifo  or  in  all  tho  day.s  of 
your  lite  put  together  tho  very  host  that  you  could,  or 
been  tho  very  best  man  that  you  could  bo." 

PiiiM.iPS  Brooks. 


f  iiiiiMi'-t.  aiitl 
\Mi-  •!^^  c'N. 

llll  l>   llliil'is   of 


•ovy  circlcssly 
ul  Uiin;,'  for  a 
lU-  :ili.uit  tlioir 
llicir  ]\\oH  to 
i:  il,  \iiMiii  tlii'if 
llu'ir  (Milriinci' 
iiiu  III)  ilci'iirr 
tli''  I'cvi'lulion 
)n  tlif  lionlciH 
iiiidv  (oinily  of 
lono  Uio  lifst  I 
siiy.  Thp  man 
hiiiiKinity,  wlio 
(lishi)iv.ir  yciii' 
rtiiin  facts,  you 
,  foolish  tiling. 
)ii  s:iy  that,  you 
ill!  the  (hiys  of 
it  you  couhl,  or 

10."' 

MPS  Brooks. 


( 


THE  SEVEN-FOLD  REVEALING. 

'^IIAT  the  1,-I,>Rcopo  is  t„  till'  stiirs,  or  wlmt  tl.,> 
sunlight  is  to  111,,  movmng.  tlio  Holy  Rpint  is 
to  man  uiul  salvation.   Christianity  is  .suiMM-ior  wis- 
dom.    Sti-ango  s.-urc-hings  and  practices  of  n.on 
and  women   in    the   realms    of    the   occult     both 
prove   our  thirst,   for  knowledge   in  snch   r.-ahns 
and  convince  the  In.th-soeker  of  the  importance 
where  we  hears.,  m-u-h  of  mind-reading  and  hyp- 
notism  and  spiriti.sm  of  learning  directly  of  the 
Iloh/  Spirit.     That  we  may  bc-tter  learn  th,.  way 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  we  have  classified  in  this  chap- 
ter  some   activities   relating  to  his  ofli,.,.  nnder 
the  title  of  the  seven-fold  revealing,  as  follows: 

1.  The  Universal  Revelation. 

2.  The  Scripture  Kevelation. 

3.  The  Revelation  of  self  and  sin. 

4.  The  Revelation  of  salvation. 

5.  The  Revealing  of  the  direct  witness. 

6.  The  Revelation  in  the  godly  life. 

7.  Special  Revelations  to  fai'tli. 

r        1, 

The  UNivERSAr-  Revelation. 
We  should  not  forg,>t  that  Christ  has  been  as- 
sorted  somewhat  to  every  heart.    The  Holy  Spirit 


WWH 


^ff^' 


»X..J.  JJiJ-ii.  . 


mo  OUT  OF  Till:  vAixLirn 


has  boon  tlio  sili-nt,  vinivcfsal  proaclior,  wliilo 
thaiikloss  moil  luivf  been  too  fuitlilcss  to  roiif  ii 
I'liilli[)  for  his  iii'ss('n<^or,  or  too  slow  to  soiul 
tlio  IMiillip  who  waited  for  means  wltli  wliich  to 
go.  Yet  lie  has  kept  on  convincin};;.  To  me  this 
is  Olio  of  the  most  restful  thoiij^lits  whicii  a  soul- 
winnor  can  cherisli.  Just  to  tliinl:,  th<>  TTi^ly 
Spirit  hath  spolcen  to  this  soul  before  me.  ITo 
knows,  or  may  know  the  truth  of  what  I  say, 
and  if  I  can  so  impress  him  (not  with  my  skill 
or  my  presence),  a-;  thai  he  sluill  feel  the  cor- 
rpspondence  between  this  impression  and  that 
which  he  has  known  before,  then  verily  faith  may 
bo  oxpocted,  and  the  soul  shall  tnul  tho  peace  of 
God.  And  how  restful,  though  by  no  means 
slothful  we  must  be,  when  we  just  seek  to  keep 
tally  with  God's  own  work.  For  ho  is  working 
wonderfully,  oven  while  wo  sloop. 

John  says  of  J(<sus,  "  There  was  the  true  light, 
oven  tli(>  light  which  llghteth  every  man  coming 
into  the  world."  (John  i:  !).)  Jesus  gave  the 
Jews  to  understand  that  they  could  recognize  his 
divinity,  but  they  "had  not  his  word  abiding 
in  them."  (John  v:  3S.)  So  there  is  a  word  of 
God  in  us  as  well  as  in  tho  Book.  "It  is  writ- 
ten," said  he  again,  "  they  shall  all  1)0  taught  of 
God,  every  one  that  heard  from  tho  Father  and 
/ii/fh  h'tinicil  comet h  unto  me."  (John  vi:  45.) 
Then    all    are  taught,   but   some    do    not   learn. 


77//;  .s/; I 'nx-FoLh  in: i  /•;. i  i.iMt 


I'.ti 


•Iicf,    wliilo 
s  to  roil  I'  u 

DW    to    S(>1U1 

li  which  to 
To  ni(>  this 
hich  ii  Sdul- 
:,  1h<'  TL.ly 
re  inc.  ITo 
vluit  T  say, 
111  my  skill 
<cl  the  cor- 
n  and  that 
ly  faith  may 
Lho  p(\icc  of 
y  no  moans 
^ok  to  koop 
is   working 

0  tnio  light, 
man  ooming 
IS  gave  the 
•ccognizo  his 
ord  abiding 
is  a  word  of 

"It  is  writ- 
1)(>  taught  of 
)  Father  and 
fohn   vi:  45.) 

1  not   loam. 


Again  said  Jcsiis:  '-ir  any  man  uiljcth  to  do  his 
will  Iio  shall  know  (.f  the  teaching  wh<'thor  it  bo 
of  Piod  or  whetlu  r  T  sjicak  from  myself."  (.John 
vii:  17.)  IToro  is  liic  condition  of  character 
which  learns.  Paul,  following  the  very  samo 
lino  of  leaching,  says  that  men  holil  down  the 
Irnth  in  nnrightoousness,  and  knowing  Hod  thoy 
glorify  him  not  as  flod.  and  that  they  even  refuse 
to  have  (',()(]  in  their  knowledge,  ([{oin.  i:  ]H, 
21,  lis.)'*  Here  we  discover  lho  gospel  beneath  all 
gospels  preached  to  that  silent  listener,  the 
hnmau  lieart.  That  Ged  who  out  of  his  irreat 
heart-interest  for  hnmanity  lias  boon  roprosontod 
in  atoiKMiient  by  his  Son,  we  see  hero  represented, 
revealing  needs  and  revealing  the  worth  (jf 
humanity  through  the  Holy  Spirit. 

It  is  liis  blossod  oHico,  also,  to  give  us  con- 
coptions  which  are  good  and  groat  and  strong— 
ronooptions  of  truth  which  could  not  otherwise 
bo  obtained.  In  our  day  wo  speak  of  natural 
religions.  Natural  religions  are  not  godless 
religions.  All  that  is  good  in  what  may  bo 
termed  natural  religions  is  the  work,  and  always 
has  boon  the  work,  of  the  Tloly'Spirit  in  the  heart 
of  universal  humanity.  The  grout' objection  to 
the  natural  religions  is  not  on  account  of  what  is 
good  in  them,  but  on  account  of  what  is  bad,  or 


■"V 


•Revised  version. 


102 


OUT  OF  THE  CAlS-LfFE 


what  is  left  out  or  wanting.  A  glass  of  cold 
water  is  good,  but  a  glass  of  sp''i"g  water  con- 
taining a  dose  of  arsenic  is  ruinous.  A  steam 
engine  may  be  of  great  service,  but  the  steam 
engine  without  steam  is  a  burden.  If  men  would 
obey  this  law  within  their  hearts,  how  speedily 
the  higher  rcnelation  of  the  Word  would  be  given 
to  them.  Natural  religion  is  a  spark;  revealed 
religion  i.s  a  fire. 


i   i 


m 


II. 

The  ScRiPTURK  Revelation. 

"As  it  is  written,  things  which  eye  saw  not 
and  ear  heard  not,  and  which  entered  not  into 
the  heart  of  man,  whatsoever  things  God  pre- 
pared for  them  that  love  him.  But  unto  us  God 
revcflcd  them  through  the  Spirit."     (R.  Y.) 

I  never  could  have  looked  out  of  the  natural 
eye  and  found  such  beauty,  the  natural  ear  never 
could  have  captured  such  sweet  melodies,  the 
natural  heart  never  could  have  conceived  of  any- 
thing so  gracious,  so  forgiving,  so  gentle,  so 
blessed.  But  God  hath  revealed  that  to  us  by  his 
Spirit. 

The  chief  place  of  this  revelation  is  in  His 
Word.  It  has  been  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
here  to  open  up  the  secrets  of  the  divine  nature  too. 
One  of  the  sweetest   records   concerning  revival 


THE  SEVEN-FOLD  REVEALISO 


103 


glass  of  cold 
rt  water  con- 
LIS.  A  steam 
ut  the  steam 
If  men  would 
how  speedily 
ould  be  given 
»ark;  revealed 


ION. 

eye  saw  not 
ered  not  into 
ngs  God  pre- 
t  unto  us  God 

(R.y.) 

of  the  natural 
iural  ear  never 
melodies,  the 
iceived  of  any- 
so  gentle,  so 
at  to  us  by  his 

ion  is  in  His 
le  Holy  Spirit 
/ine  nature  too. 
erning  revival 


meetings  I  have  lieai'djn  a  long  time  was  received 
a  little  while  ago  when  a  minister  wrote  me  after 
the  meetings  in  his  city,  aiid  said,  "  I  met  an 
infidel  book-seller  in  our  city,  and  he  told  me 
to-day  that  there  had  been  a  marvellous  increase 
in  the  sale  of  Bibles  since  the  revival. "  YountJ' 
people  may  well  ponder  the  words  of  John  Rus- 
kin,  "  My  mother  forced  me  by  steady,  daily  toil 
to  learn  long  cliaptin-s  of  the  Bible  by  heart,  as 
well  as  to  read  every  syllable  through,  aloud, 
hard  names  and  all,  from  Genesis  to  Apocalypse, 
about  once  a  year,  and  to  that  discipline — patient, 
accurate  and  resolute — I  owe,  not  only  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  book,  which  I  find  occasionally  ser- 
viceable, but  much  of  my  general  power  of  taking 
pains,  and  the  best  part  of  my  taste  in  litera- 
ture." 

This  of  itself  would  be  much,  but  it  is  our 
privilege  to  trace  the  very  thoughts  of  God  in 
this  Book,  as  if  we  could  hear  Him  speak.  And 
that  blessed  spirit  who  so  thoroughly  searches 
us  has  here  given  us  a  description  of  his  own 
gentle  character.  Studying  the  Bible  is  not  like 
reading  or  studying  a  text  book.  When  we 
study  it  with  true  spiritual  insight  we  get  into 
the  stream  of  the  divliie  method  and  are  carried 
by  its  current  in  his  own  direction.  Our  course 
is  like  that  of  the  swimmer  rather  than  that 
of  the  diver. 


,  "*  ;^ 


nil 


<h:t  (W  the  CAix-urE 


My  fri('iu1,  let  nio  ask  you  S(iin(>  very  close 
quesiions  about  this  matter.  Are  you  a 
student  of  the  Bible  ?  Do  you  give  the  Bible 
genuine  heart  study?  Do  you  find  your- 
self saying  as  you  read  it,  this  Book  knows  nio  ? 
Do  you  seek  to  follow  the  stream  of  teaching, 
placing  your  soul  into  its  current  ?  Do  you  com- 
mit Scripture  to  memory  ?  Iliive  you  the  habit 
of  remembering  promises  in  t!:::',:^  of  trial  ?  Are 
the  promises  of  God  yea  and  amen  to  you  ?  It  is 
perfectly  surprising  how  vast  the  need  of  a  revival 
in  the  study  of  God's  Word  lias  become  in  these 
days  of  printing  presses  when  cheap,  durable, 
beautiful  Bibles  are  so  easily  procured.  It  is  not 
a  most  extraordinary  thing  to  hear  -men  in 
■iitelligent  communities  aiising  in  testimony 
meetings  and  quoting  from  the  hymn  book,  vdien 
Scripture  promises  are  asked  fo-;  and  as  far  as  I 
can  observe  the  younger  people  do  nol,  appear  to 
excel  those  of  more  advanced  years  in  this  re- 
spect. We  may  not  expect  that  our  feet  will 
more  accurately  find  the  path  (>r  life  unless  we 
look  truly  to  the  way  marked  out  for  us. 

It  is  rather  startling  to  hear  ti'-m.  a  manager  of 
a  large  cathedral  window  manufacturer  in  the 
United  States  that  Bible  scent::;  are  not  being 
called  for  as  they  once  were  in  cathedral  windows, 
because  the  windows  require  a  knowledge  of  the 
design   in  order  to  appreciation,  and  exact  Bible 


very  closo 
re  you  a 
!  the  Bible 
find  your- 
iiiows  nio  ? 
f  leaching, 
)o  you  coni- 
m  llic  habit 
;riul  ?  Are 
you  ?  It  is 
1  of  a  revival 
ne  in  these 
[),  durable, 
It  is  not 
ir  -men  in 
testimony 
book,  vvhen 

as  far  as  I 
)l.  appear  to 

in  this  rc- 
ir  feet  will 

unless   we 
r  us. 

manager  of 
urer  in  the 
3  not  being 
al  windows, 
?dge  of  the 
exact  Bible 


TiiH  si:\-i:x-r()i.i>  I!i:vf:ai.ix(i 


1!I5 


knowledge  has  so  fallen  o(T  that  Bible  scenes  are 
not  called  for.  It  would  be  more  startling  were 
the  evangelical  churches  using  great  quantities 
of  such  windows.  It  is  suggestive  enough  any- 
way. My  friend,  let  us  go  Ihrough  the  tnere 
wording  of  the  Book,  beyond  the  mere  accurate 
knowledge  of  what  the  Book  says,  and  breathe  the 
very  life  of  God  into  our  souls  as  we  feed  upon 
His  Word. 

Andrew  Muri-ay  lays  great  and  effective  stress 
upon  Jesus'  words,  "Have  faith  in  God."  Ho 
says,  "Every  special  exhibition  of  the  power  of 
faith  to  the  saints  of  old  was  the  fruit  of  a  special 
revelation  of  God."  My  mother's  word  is  very 
dear  to  me  but  my  mother  herself  is  dearer  to  me 
than  anything  she  ever  said.  The  Holy  Spirit 
brings  to  our  spiritual  sensibilities  the  Divine 
Person  so  that  we  may  see  God  and  live,  hear  God 
and  obey,  feel  God  and  conquer.  The  Book  is  his 
and  he  asserts  the  Book,  but  O,  how  much  more 
is  he  than  the  Book. 


III.        • 

The  Revealing  op  Self  and  Sin. 
"We  can  not  too  positively  emphasize  the  reveal- 
ing of  our  own  natures  to  us  by  the  Holy   Spirit. 
Lightly  answering  questions  of  deep  moment  to 


i*; 


196 


OUT  OF  THE  CATX-LIFE 


i: 


tho  soul  brtvays  an  ubscncc  of  knowk'dge  con- 
cerning one's  self,  as  well  as  concerning  God.  We 
need  a  revealing  of  ourselves  to  ourselves.  We 
become  affected  with  a  moral  listlossness,  hence 
Jesus  calls  upon  us  with  such  words  as  these, 
"He  that  hath  ears  to  hear  let  him  hear,"  "Let 
these  things  sink  down  into  your  ears,"  The 
Holy  Spirit  may  be  considered  as  unceasingly  ac- 
tive in  executing  the  great  plan  of  salvation 
among  men,  speaking  through  the  ministries  of 
nature,  of  his  Word,  and  of  the  great  variety  of 
providences  both  trying  and  encouraging. 

Strides  of  invention  can  but  faintly  represent 
the  rapid  uncovering  of  one' s  ov/n  natui-e  to  the 
willingsoul  by  the  Spirit.  Depths  of  feelingand 
of  motive  which  have  never  before  been  dreamed 
of  come  to  light  when  his  light  searches  us.  We 
would  be  confused  and  startled  until  all  trust 
would  be  banished,  and  fear  would  hold  the  citadel 
of  the  being  did  he  not  himself  hold  us  while 
searching  us.  Under  this  condition  it  is  blessed 
to  have  the  consciousness  that  the  Jloft/  One  is 
searching  us,  for  we  know  that  If  anything  were 
found  commendable  he  would  give  it  fullest  credit 
and  whatever  appears  condemnable,  hi«  mercy 
is  sufficient  and  free  to  provide  delivci'ance  from 
it.  So  through  our  tears  mercy's  light  is  stream- 
ing. 

Jesus,    referring   to  this    phase  of   his    work, 


::  : 


vk'dge  con. 
igGod.  We 
ielves.  We 
ness,  hence 
i  as  these, 
:'ar,"  "Let 
'ars,"  The 
>asingly  ac- 
[  salvation 
inisti'ios  of 
.  variety  of 
ng. 

T  represent 
-tui'e  to  the 
feeling  and 
jn  dreamed 
es  us.  We 
il  all  trust 
the  citadel 
1  us  while 
i  is  blessed 
h>ly  One  is 
thing  were 
llest  credit 
hi«  mercy 
I'ance  from 
;  is  stream- 

his    work, 


THE   SKVIJX-FOLD  liEVEAUXa 


lie 


I 


said,    "When  he  the  Spirit  of  Truth  i.i  come  he 
shall  convince  the  world  of  sin  because   they  be- 
lieve   not   on    nie."     A  supreme   willingness    to 
know  the  truth  will  speedily    bring  this  convic- 
tion, but  the  truth  itself  can  not  produce  it.      It 
would  appear  that  truth  enough    has    been  told 
and  heard  to  save  ten  thousand  worlds  like  this, 
but  truth  of  itself  has  nc  guarantee  of  reception 
by  a  race  of  being.s  who  are  rebellious  in  heart. 
It   is  altogether  probable  that  the  devil  knows 
more  truth  than  any  of  us.    A  nd  this  very  fact  con- 
cerning the  imi?otency  of  truth  alone    may  ex- 
plain why  so  much  good,  wholesome  truth  is  told 
from  the  pulpit  and  in  Sunday  schools  and  prayer 
meetings,  the  home,  etc.,  with  so  little  positive 
good  effect   following   it.     How  many   Christian 
workers  make  it  their  very  hobby,  as  they  sav, 
to  tell  the  truth  and  leave  the  consequences  with 
God,  forgetting  that  they  are  to  be  representa- 
tives of  living  power  in  the  truth  rising  above  the 
letter,   into  -the  spirit  which  giveth    life.     And 
the  temptation  here  is  very  evident   to  produce 
steady  and  well  finished  arguniQjits  and  hurl  them 
against  the  enemy  during  the  day's  battle,  to  re- 
turn to  the  broken  rest  of  the  night  disappointed 
and  discouraged  that  such  an  effort  did  not  give 
evidence  of  rich  returns,  forgetting  that  God  is 
not  seeking  so  much    the  golden   vessel  or   the 
scholarly  truth  as  the  truth  which  he  can  wield 


for  iiniiicdiati'  iMirposcs  of  merry.  How  ofton 
the  consofrutcd  toilci-  will  tiiul  tlio  Lord  using 
that  upon  which  he  nHlcoiiod  nothin^^,  whiU^  thiit 
which  he  tlioui^lit  liis  choicest  effort  seems  to 
have  fallen  into  disuse.  God  chooses  the  weak- 
thin  gs. 

This  lack  of  hoiiorlnjjj  the  Holy  Spirit  in  teach, 
ing  is  witho-.it  doubt  the  greatest  cause  of  the 
absence  of  deep  and  i)ositive  conviction  of  sin 
and  a  very  thorough  turning  from  it  to  righteous- 
ness in  so  many  quarters  to-day  We  may  have 
accomplished  much  more  in  producing  intellect 
than  our  fathers  and  mothers  did,  but  no  amount 
of  intellect  producing  will  make  a  pi'oper  substi- 
tute for  a  broken  heart.  The  soul  can  riot  find 
room  for  great  and  deep  gratitude  or  for  that 
mellowness  of  love  whicli  is  like  a  superior  tone 
to  a  singer,  without  having  the  deeps  of  the 
nature  broken  up  under  the  conviction  of  sin. 

We  may  conclude  pretty  readily  what  the  Holy 
Spirit's  conviction  would  bo  like.  If  the  Holy 
Spirit  wrought  the  ponitence  recorded  in  the 
51st  Psalm,  away  back  in  the  Jewish  dispensa- 
tion, then  the  conviction  of  sin  as  >xpressed  in 
that  Psalm  ought  at  least  to  be  matched  by  the 
convictions  in  this  Gospel  day.  If  the  Psalmist 
cries,  "  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  God,"  Mien  noth- 
ing less  should  be  the  penitent's  cry  to- day.  If 
he  says,  "Hide  thy  face  from  my  sins  and  blot 


low   often 

lonl  using 

while  that 

seems   to 

the  weulc 

t  in  teach - 
use  of  the 
ion  of  sin 
righteous- 

niiiy  have 
(T  intellect 
lo  amount 
)er  substi- 
1  not  find 
r  for  that 
lerior  tone 
ips  of  the 
of  sin. 
t  the  Holy 

the  Holy 
led  in   the 

dispensa- 
pressed  in 
ed  by  the 
>  Psalmist 
Mien  noth- 
o  day.  If 
s  and  blot 


1 


Tin:  s;:\-i:.\-F<ii.i>  y?/;i7;.u./.\7; 


ni'.i 


ou'  all  mine  iniquities."  surely  the  convieticm 
.should  not  be  less  deep  to-day.  If  iie  says, 
"Cast  me  not  away  from  thy  presence, "  surely 
the  cry  should  be  no  less  intense  to-day.  But  one 
must  calmly  read  the  whole  Psalm  to  get  into  its 
sweep. 

The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  and 
when  he  begins  to  assert  what  it  is  to  bo 
righteous,  until  the  conscience  realizes  it,  the 
awful  contrast  between  the  soul  and  righteous- 
ness must  appear,  the  wrong  done  against  our 
God  and  the  wrong  doiu>  against  our  fellows  be- 
comes evident  and  under  this  conviction  the  heart 
breaks.  Then  like  the  broken  and  harvestless 
soil  it  receives  the  seed   >f  truth  deep  into  itself. 

Do  not  allow  yourself  to  fall  into  the  conviction 
that  your  great  need  is  to  join  the  church  or  to 
leave  off  bad  habits.  You  may  well  need  the  fel- 
lowship of  God's  people  and  you  n'  ly  well  leave 
ofT  all  evil  practices,  but  the  great  need  is  to  have 
your  needs  revealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  come 
right  out  to  meet  your  God,  whom  you  must  meet 
some  day  and  who  would  meet  jtou  in  boundless 
mercy  now.  Our  religious  dangers  are  too  im- 
minent to  permit  of  any  "septic"  treatment. 
Hearken!    God  will  speak  to  you  if  you  will. 


200 


OUT  OF  THE  VAIX-LIFK 


IV. 


1   • 
in 


The  Revelation  of  Salvation. 

Having  thus  conic  to  doal  not  primarily  with 
the  church,  not  with  the  sacraments,  not 
with  opinions,  but  directly  and  definitely 
with  our  God,  shall  not  our  cry  be  heard 
and  answered,  shall  not  the  great  Physician 
pronounce  a  cure,  shall  not  the  great  Lib- 
erator open  the  prison  doors  and  the  great 
Regenerator  give  us  a  new  heart?  Yes,  truly. 
Miracles  thei'e  have  been  in  all  climates  and  all 
lands,  but  this  miracle  of  grace  will  be  in  your 
heart.  And  God  who  created  you  shall  create 
you  anew,  the  motive  shall  be  fixec'  upon  him. 
You  shall  have  already  had  a  knowledge  of  him 
present  where  you  are,  but  that  knowledge  made 
you  sad,  for  you  were  condemned.  Now  he  has 
taken  away  your  condemnation,  he  has  done  it;  it 
is  not  merely  that  your  resolutions  are  stronger 
and  your  purposes  higher,  it  is  that  God  himself 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  hath  done  this  work  for  you 
and  in  you.  A  voice  from  without  us  comes  to 
whisper  our  need  and  a  power  from  without  us 
comes  to  deliver  us  from  the  guilt  of  sin  and  im- 
part to  us  a  new  bent,  a  new  heart,  a  new  life, 
whether  its  coming  be  with  calm  and  quiet  step 
or  amid  crying  and  anguish,  it  comes  to  make  us 


IN. 

narily  with 
lents,  not 
definitely 
be  heard 
Physician 
Treat  Lib- 
tho  great 
Yes,  truly, 
ites  and  all 
be  in  your 
hall  create 
upon  him. 
dge  of  him 
ledge  made 
*Tow  he  has 
I  done  it;  it 
re  stronger 
Jod  himself 
ork  for  you 
IS  comes  to 
without  us 
sin  and  im- 
a  new  life, 
1  quiet  step 
to  make  us 


THE  SE\'KX-FOLI)  nEl'KALIXO 


L'Ol 


now.  In  the  courtroom  of  the  divine  wo  are 
pronounced  i>iirdonod,  and  more  than  this  the 
self-lite  has  boon  ubdued  to  the  life  which  Christ 
has  brought  us. 

A  young  man  who  was  very  happy  after  his 
conversion  was  tolling  mo  of  his  rapture  one  day. 
Ho  had  told  mo  when  a  penitent  that  ho  had  boon 
addicted  to  some  base  secret  sins  and,  being  con. 
corned  that  ho  might  be  sure  of  his  deliverance,  I 
said  to  him,  "Well,  I  am  so  glad  to  hear  what 
the  Lord  has  done  for  you.  Now  I  hope  you  have 
conquered  those  secret  habits  you  told  me  about." 
"Yes,  indeed,"  said  he,  "I  am  saved  above 
those."  Gradual  or  instantaneous,  it  is  divine.  In 
the  heart  of  tho  refmed  or  of  the  brutal  it  is 
divine,  in  childhood  or  old  age,  in  the  dying  or 
the  healthful,  it  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
And  it  is  not  only  an  exalted  work  he  does.  It 
is  an  exalting  work — "saved  above  that." 


The  Revealing  op  the  Direct  Witness. 

He  will  tell  you  that  he  hath  par^io-ed  you  and 
received  you  into  his  own  family.  Not  only  must 
a  power  from  without  us  enter  in  to  save  us  but 
a  voice  from  without  must  tell  us  that  we  are 
adopted  into  tha  family  of  God,  having  been  freely 
forgiven.     The  same  voice  which  tells  me  I  am  a 


m 


(iir  (•"  nil'.  ('  \is  i.iri: 


sinn.Tmust  U;ll  me  1  an.  furuivci..  Tl:.>  wilm-ss 
of  tlu«  Holy  Spirit  to  oui-  siilv;iti..ii  slinild  smvly 
be  as  distiiut  ua  hisrconviclion  ()f«mr  t;nill. 

1.  He  can  loll  us.  Ho  lias  nuvdo  imm  oapablo 
of  telling  truth  to  l.is  follows,  of  ivlyin;,'  so  fur 
upon  what  he  tolls  that  niillions  of  dollars  aiv  in- 
volved in  business  li-ansactioiis,  an.ltho  life  is 
jeopardi/od  in  sur};'ioal  oirraliou.,  and  all  upon  the 
basis  that  the  main  statements  conoernin;,'  either 
the  one  or  the  other  were  miderslood.  If  ("'"d 
has  so  given  us  the  power  to  eommunloate  with 
each  other,  can  he  himself  not  whisper  his  wit- 
ness in  our  souls  ? 

2.  We  have  the  evidence  of  TTis  Word.  fTo  says 
that  if  1  forsake  sin  and  return  unto  him  he  will 
abundantly  pardi.n.  Humbly  askin^,^  him"  to 
search  mo  and  show  me  that  I  do  forsake  sin  and 
come  mito  him,  it  is  my  in-ivilego  to  claim  that 
promise  and  reckon  him  as  good  as  his  word;  an- 
swering every  suggestion  of  the  enemy  with, 
"Ho  said  it." 

'5.  We  have  the  evidence  of  ihe  new  life. 
That  now  life  is  within  us  and  we  know.  We 
are  often  oven  sweetly  surprised  to  notice  its  as- 
sertion when  we  were  not  at  the  time  distinctly 
conscious  of  it.  There  it  was  like  a  magnet  holding 
us  to  the  right.  The  swearer  says,  <' Why,  I  do 
notswear  any  more;  I  do  not  want  to  swear." 
The  thief  toils  gladly  to  pay  back  what  he   stole, 


_#■*_ 


1 


Till-:  .sfj'KiS -/•■'»/./»  iii:\i:ALiMi 


I'O.l 


adding  a  bonus  to   it,  so  {'onviiicod  is  ho   of  the 
worth  of  this  new  trciisiiro, 

4.  Wc  hiivo  the  distiiicl  witness  of  ihf  ITcly 
Spirit  with  onr  spirits  tluit  wo  arc  tlio  children  of 
God.  Of  course  wc  <h)  not  mean  by  tiiis  tliiit  a 
voice  Is  hoard  through  tlie  outward  ear  proclaim- 
ing the  great  fact,  hut  a  sui'c  sweet  witnessing 
—  "softer  than  sileiu'c,"  is  lieai'd  in  the  soul  and 
wo  know  it  to  be  tlie  diviiu*  voie{>,  Tlie  natural 
man  will  not  understand  this.  IJut  lie  may  if  ho 
will  give  hims(>lf  to  it  for  "The  Spirit  iiimself 
beareth  witness  with  our  spirits."  Deai"  reader, 
have  you  long  sought  this  in  the  belief  that  some 
distinct  oxperience  should  l)e  yours,  yet  you  had 
never  gained  it  ?  Let  mo  urge  you  to  rtMuemijer 
that  j'ou  are  to  lioarkon  unto  God.  Hearken, 
hearken.  Lot  your  soul  hearken.  Be  not  impa- 
tient, you  sludl  know  his  voice.  The  fault  cannot 
be  in  his  voice,  it  is  in  yoiu'  hearing.  Rut  bo 
sure  that  you  believe  on  Jesus  willi  all  your 
heart,  wanting  to  be  his  own  child  more  than  you 
want  anything  or  all  things  else.  He  as  deeply 
eager  for  this  as  for  food  when  hungry  or  drink 
when  thirsty,  tlion  quietly  cease  ti'J'ing  and  be- 
liovo  in  his  goodness,  grcnit  enough  to  pronounce 
you  his.  Your  listening  soul  shall  say,  God  hath 
spoken.  It  is  done.  Israel  bogged  at  the  foot  of 
Sinai  not  to  hear  his  voice,   but  you  having  for- 


0(>» 


ofT  OF  Tiii-i  rAiS'i.irn 


Hakcn  all  sin,  iiuiy  well    sivy   with  llio  riipturo  of 
fuith,  "Sju'iik,  Lonl,  for  thy  scrvunt  houroth. 


1 
I 


VI 

The  RKVKr-ATioN  i\  tiii;  (Jnin.v  I.iik. 

Adopti'dc-liild  of  (iod,  tlic  trciisiir.'s  of  nil  \v(>iilth 
for  two  \vorl<l.s  liuvo  been  oiuMicd  unto  you;  bo- 
^in  to  tuke  Invoiitofics  ciuiikly,  and  Ix-fir  to  hiy 
claim  to  your  vast  [xissossioiiH,  for  in  youi-  fa- 
ther's houHchold  all  this  which  hatli  1k",mi  opiMicd 
for  you, and  in  you,  and  by  you,  isij'.it  the  initial 
work  of  the  Holy  One.  That  whith  has  bciMi 
done  by  you,  did  I  say?  Yes,  for  (-vcn  your  re- 
pontencc  as  we  have  before  seen  may  have  sHV(>d 
another. 

Now  what  claims  of  faith  are  not  only  freely 
granted,  but  urged  i)y  the  same  bless(>d  Spirit 
upon  your  heart's  reception.  You  are  to  expect 
eternal  glory.  A  million  years  to  come  you  are 
to  be  a  pure,  well-informed,  exultant  minister  of 
the  King  of  Kings,  sharing  the  meariing  of  Cal- 
vary with  the  Son  of  God,  free  from  sin  and 
death,  forever  to  associate  with  holy  and  glori- 
fied beings.  But  this  is  not  all,  I  had  almost  said 
this  were  little.  It  is  true  that  this  could  not  be 
if  it  were  sought  for  mc>rely  as  a  possession  or  an 
attainment.       You  are  culled   to  holinc.'is.     Thy 


^^W 


~— AU 


Tilt:  sEiKyyout  hrvealiso 


-Mft 


subdued  self-life  In  to  bo  rooti'd  out  uiul  ubmidMiu'd 
and  your  soul  Is  to  bo  the  chamiol  tlin)u;,'h  which 
the  very  Spirit  of  Christ  the  Suviour  is  to  !).• 
poured  for  the  (■louiisliig  and  rcfroshin^'  (.f  your 
follow  men.  Did  ymi  rtroivo  the  Holy  (IhoMt 
when  you  believed?  Did  you  receive  tlii^  i/(f'f 
by  faith?  Now.  I  dare  not  forbear  to  aslv  you 
this  question.  You  nuiy  mi\\io  the  mistake  whicli 
I  made  for  yours,  and  answer  with  some  ^ri-ncral 
assertions  al)out  being  .saved.  May  llu'  gentle- 
ness of  our  Gt»d  lead  you  in  a  better  way.  Do 
not  bother  about  oj)ini(ins  and  discussions  until 
you  are  confused.  Let  God  himself  anoint  you. 
His  deeper  rcivealing  is  followed  with  his  mightier 
power.  His  Calvary  is  succeeded  by  ins  Pente- 
cost. 

There  is  a  furtiier  revealing  of  the  results  of 
liis  great  work  within  us.  It  is  ottected  up(m  our 
characters,  and  will  be  more  apparent  to  otliers 
than  to  ourselves;  tliese  results  arc  called  his 
fruits.  When  Christ  is  the  vine  and  we  are  the 
branches,  what  beauty  nmst  adorn  the  life. 
Behold  the  lu.scious  fruit  wliieh  garnishes  this 
kind  of  life.  Now,  tlie  fruit  of  the  s'pirit  is  love, 
joy,  peace,  long-sutTering,  gentleness,  goodness, 
fidelity,  meekness,  self-control.  And  this  fruit 
grows  upon  this  kind  of  a  tree.  The.se  graces 
work  out  of  this  kind  of  a  life  as  naturally  as  apples 


<«« 


iJOO 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


J    i 


I    I 


grow  on  an  apple  V.ee,  while  the  blessed  Spirit 
changes  the  arctic  into  the  tropic  life. 

Years  ago,  as  a  young  preacher  in  a  country 
village,  I  used  to  receive  many  gentle  courio.ies 
in  the  homes  of  godly  people.     As  I  count  thcni 
over  in  memory  I  think  that  no  man  in  the  world 
owes  so  much  to  the  kind  and  forbearing  people 
of  God  as  the  young  minister.     As  with  many  ol 
my  brethren,  a  few  of   these  homes  used  to  bo 
called  "my  home."     One  of  these  was  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  B.     This  couple  had  a  reputation  for 
unusual  cheerfulness  and  general  kindness.     One 
day  I  drove  down  the  street,  passing  the  front 
window  of  their  home  to  the  gate  leading  up  to 
the  drive-house.      As  I  passed  the  home  I  «aw  in 
the  window  a  large  oleander,  literally  loaded  with 
blossoms.     Hurrying  from  my  buggy  and  rap- 
ping at  the  door,  I  was  soon  greeted  by  Mrs.  B. 
When  I  said,  "  Where  did  you  get  that  oleander?" 
8he  laughed,    and    interjected    many    questions 
about  my  health,  and  the  meetings,  and  the  work 
in  general,  and  laughed  again.     Then  she  inviteJ 
me  into  the  parlor  where  the  oleander  was,   to 
take  a  good  look  at  it,  and,  as  she  naively  said, 
to  smell  of  the  blossoms.     Crossing  the  threshold, 
I  began  to  express   my  delight,   when  Mrs.   B. 
said,  "Smell  it,  smell  it."     Drawing  near  to  the 
plant,  I  took  one  of  the  blossoms  by  the  stem 
between  ray  fingers,  to  draw  it  up  to  my  face  so 


THE  SEVEN-FOLD  REVEALING 


207 


a  Spirit 

country 
iui'i'^sies 
nt  them 
he  world 
g  po()i)lo 

many  of 
ed  to  bo 
with  Mr. 
at  ion  for 
'ss.      Oni' 
the  front 
ling  up  to 
B  I  saw  in 
aded  with 

and  rap- 
ly  Mrs.  B. 
)leandcr?" 

questions 
1  the  work 
she  inviteu 
er  was,  to 
lively  said, 
1  threshold, 
n  Mrs.  B. 
near  to  the 
f  tlie  stem 

my  face  so 


1 


that  I  might  catch  a  little  of  its  sweetness,  when 
behold  you,  I  found  that  it  was  made  of  tissue 
paper!  Imagine  my  surprise.  The  plot  had  suc- 
ceeded. Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  enjoyed  "the  sell," 
rather  than  ^^  the  stnelf,"  and  referred  to  it  with 
great  cheer  for  many  days. 

Now,  I  fear  this  is  what  a  great  many  Christian 
people  are  doing;  they  aio  trying  to  tie  on  graces. 
Here  is  a  quick- tem  peed  person  who  says,  '-Now, 
I  will  be  kind  after  this."  Here  is  a  cheerless 
nature  and  he  says,  "Henceforth  lam  going  to 
be  cheerful;"  here  is  a  hopeless  soul  and  he  says, 
"It  is  an  ill  wind  that  blows  nobody  good,  and 
it  is  always  darkest  before  dawn,  so  I  Avill  cheer 
myscif  up  and  be  hopeful."  Now,  my  friends, 
you  can  not  do  it.  And  for  two  reasons.  First, 
this  being  kinder,  is  not  Christian  love,  this  be- 
ing more  cheerful  is  not  Christian  joy,  and  this 
quoting  of  proverbs  which  any  heathen  could 
quote  is  not  Chi-istian  hope.  And  in  the  second 
place  we  can  not  do  these  very  things  we  have  re- 
solved.    We  can  noi, 

"  Fold  away  our  foars. 

And  put  by  our  foolish  tears, 
And  through  all  the  coming  years 
Just  bo  glad."' 

But  get  God's  life  within  you,  be  separate  unto 
God,  planted  in  the  new  soil,  step  over  into  the 


^-t: 


OUT  OF  THE  CAm-LIFE 


summer  life,  live  on  the  south  side  of  opportunity 
where  the  warm  showers  fall  and  the  fruit  of  the 
spirit  will  appear  in  your  lives  as  naturally  as  the 
fruit  on  the  trees. 

VII. 
Special  Revelations  to  Faith. 
Conversion  is  the  June-day  of  character.     The 
wheat  is  in   "the  milk."     Now,    it  should  con- 
stantly grow  and  mature  until  hard  and  golden. 
But  there  should  be  special  days  when  the  heavy 
wheat  heads  bend   lowly  under    the   warm  and 
copious  shower,   days  also   when  they  lift  their 
foody  weight  jeweled  with  dew-drops  straight  up 
to  the  beaming  sun,  like  victorious  rescuers  sight- 
ing  their  home  city.     And  there  should  come, 
too,  dayr.  of  speedy  ripening  when  the  children 
note  the  changes  on   their  way  home  from  the 
country  school  and  call  out  to  their  father  that  ti.e 
field  over  the  hill  is  almost  ripe-so  changed  in  p 
day      Such  noted  changes  in  character  should 
mark  the  time  between  the  transforming  June 
day,   when  straw  is  no  longer  only  straw,  but 
wheat  has  appeared,  though  in  embryo;  and  those 
hf.rvest  days  when  the  sheaves  lean  into  each 
other's  arms  as  the  husbandman  approaches  with 
his  wagon.     O,  blessed  life! 


_t 


rilE  SEVEX-FOLD  nEVEALlSO 


200 


ortunity 
it  of  the 
ly  as  the 


.cr.     The 
ould  con- 
d  golden, 
the  heavy 
^arm  and 
lift  their 
;raight  up 
lers  sight - 
luld  come, 
le  children 
;  from  the 
er  that  the 
anged  in  n 
ter  should 
ming  June 
straw,  but 
;and  those 
.  into  each 
jaches  with 


And  now  what  riches  are  ours  in  the  treasury 
of  prayer.  Why  the  Lord  should  have  called  us 
into  this  privilege  of  holy  consultation  with  him- 
self we  can  not  tell,  excepting  that  he  loves  us  so. 
You  ask  for  pardon  and  get  it,  you  ask  for  a  new 
heart  and  a  place  in  the  Father's  family  and  get 
it,  you  have  taken  many  pi'omisos  from  his  Word 
and  cashed  them  at  the  wickot  of  prayer.  Now, 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  both  the  writer  of  the  check 
and  cashier  in  God's  great  treasury.  He  will  tell 
you  the  amount  to  write  on  the  different  checks. 
He  will  tell  you  whether  Jesus'  name  can  go  on  a 
check  of  such  and  such  an  amount  for  you  or  not, 
and  having  given  you  the  check  written  out  and 
the  endorsement  of  Jesus,  nothing  in  earth  or 
hell  can  defeat  your  petition. 

"Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name,  that 
will  I  do.  If  ye  shall  ask  me  anything  in  tny 
name,  that  will  I  do.  That  whatsoever  ye  shall 
ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  He  may  give  it  you. 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you  if  ye  shall  ask  any- 
thing of  the  Father,  He  will  give  it  you  in  my 
name.  Hitherto  ye  have  asked  nothing  in  my 
name;  ask  and  ye  shall  receive.  Ih  that  day  ye 
shall  ask  in  my  name.''  John  xiv:  13,  14,  xv: 
16,  xvi:  23,  24,  26.  To  ask  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
is  to  truly  represent  Jesus.  If  an  attorney  does 
anything  in  the  name  of  a  business  firm  he  must 
represent  the  thought  and  the  business  plan  of 


.*.' 


JIO 


OCT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


the  firm  he  represents.  He  must  be  as  nearly  as 
possible  an  endorsement  of  all  the  principles  of 
the  firm  which  relate  to  the  undertaking  com- 
mitted to  him.  Upon  the  guai'anteeof  good  faith 
he  is  trusted  with  his  commission.  So  when  the 
Holy  Spirit  has  slain  our  self-life  until  it  is  all 
our  passion  to  carry  <^ut  the  programme  of  Jesus 
and  represent  his  principles  at  any  cost,  he  will 
surprise  us  with  new  checks,  which  he  will  write  for 
us  day  by  day,  and  we  shall  return  after  the  day 
is  spent,  filled  with  holy  joy  as  we  recount  how  he 
has  led  us  to  ask  and  receive  his  special  gifts, 
thus  declaring  that  our  fellowship  with  him  is 
truly  established. 

Evidently  this  is  the  place  where  William  Tay- 
lor stood  when  they  asked  him  to  pray  for  rain, 
and  he  replied  that  "He  would  siif/gest  it  to  the 
Father,"  and  where  George  Muller  stood  when 
he  said,  "To-day  T  have  had  it  very  much  laid  on 
my  heart,  no  longer  merely  to  think  about  the 
establishment  of  an  Orphan  Home,  but  actually 
to  set  about  it,  and  I  have  been  very  much  in 
prayer  respecting  it,  in  order  to  ascertain  the 
Lords  mind.  May  God  make  it  plain."  God  did 
make  it  plain,  and  the  Bristol  Home  costing 
seventy-five  thousand  dollars  and  accommodating 
three  hundred  children  was  opened  nearly  forty 
years  ago.  This,  too,  was  the'  place  where  he 
stood  when   he  wrote  in  his  diary  Decembr.  20, 


'■-'IL 


;arly  as 
iplcs  of 
ig  com- 
od  faith 
lien  the 
t  is  all 
if  Jesus 
he  will 
?^rite  for 
the  day 
how  he 
1,1  gifts, 
him  is 

im  Tay- 
)r  Fain, 
;  to  the 
»d  when 

laid  on 
rat  the 
actually 
luch  in 
;ain  the 
God  did 

costing 
o.dating 
ly  forty 
liere  he 
ibc.  2C, 


THE  SEVEN-FOLD  REVEALINO 


211 


1850:  "I  desire  to  be '.llowed  to  provide  scrip- 
tural instruction  for  a  thousand  orphans  instead 
of  doing  so  for  three  hundred.  I  desire  that  it 
may  be  yet  more  abundantly  manifest  that  God 
is  still  the  Hearer  and  Answerer  of  pi'ayer,  and 
that  he  is  the  living  God  now  ar.  he  ever  was  and 
ever  will  be,  when  he  shall  simply,  in  answer  to 
prayer,  have  condescended  to  provide  me  with  a 
house  for  seven  hundred  orphans  and  with  means 
to  support  them.  This  last  consideration  is  the 
most  important  point  in  my  mind.  The  Lord's 
honor  is  the  principal  point  with  me  in  this  Avhole 
matter;  and  just  because  this  is  the  case,  if  Ho 
would  be  more  glorified  by  my  not  going  forward 
in  this  business,  I  should  by  His  gi'ace  be  perfectly 
content  to  give  up  all  thoughts  about  another 
Orphanage  House.  Surely,  in  such  a  state  of 
mind,  obtained  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  thou,  O  my 
Heavenly  Father,  wilt  not  suffer  thy  child  to  be 
mistaken,  much  less  deluded.  By  the  help  of  God 
I  shall  continue  further,  day  by  day,  to  wait  upon 
Him  in  prayer,  concerning  this  thing,  till  He  shall 
bid  me  act."  To-day  George  Miiller,  the  aged, 
tells  to  the  glory  of  the  Father  haw  upwards  of 
three  millions  of  dollars  have  been  passed  through 
his  hands  in  answer  to  prayer,  and  without  solic- 
iting from  man  for  the  support  of  orphans;  and 
about  two  millions  more  for  charities  and  missions 
and  other  means  of  help  to  humanity. 


1 


"J^ 


2ia 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIS-LIFE 


s ,, 


Dear  child  of  God,  the  Holy  Spirit  invites  us  to 
prove  what  great  things  He  will  do  lor  us  and 
through  us  for  others.  Do  not  try  to  be  a  wonder- 
worker and  thus  give  the  self-life  advantage,  but 
just  seek  His  will  and  you  shall  prove  the  wealth  of 
the  prayer-privilege.  Study  how  Jesus  went 
alone  to  pray  before  and  after  some  special  event. 
Note  how  obedient  He  is  to  the  Father's  will  and 
come  boldly  unto  the  throne  in  His  name. 

2.  He  will  lead  us.  '•  As  many  as  are  led  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  they  are  the  Sons  of  God."  If 
you  or  I  ought  to  be  in  China  then  there  is 
a  vacant  place  In  China  which  no  one  else  can  fill. 
If  you  or  I  ought  to  be  hidden  away  like  the  tim- 
bers under  the  floor,  then  there  is  a  weakness  in 
the  floor  which  no  one  else  can  strengthen  but  you 
or  me.  Rush  not  hastily  to  human  advisers. 
Hearken,  the  Holy  Spirit  will  whisper  to  you  and 
his  whispering  in  your  heai't  will  accord  with  his 
whispering  in  his  own  Woi'd. 

Let  us,  as  Jeremy  Taylor  says.  ' '  Practice  the 
presence  of  God  truly." 


.1 


^J(JJ 


J^-. 


L>S  US  to 

US  and 
vonder- 
go,  but 
oalth  of 
s  went 
[  event, 
ivill  and 


led  by 
id."  If 
here  is 
can  fill, 
he  tim- 
ness  in 
but  you 
ivisers. 
rou  and 
nth  his 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  ASSERT- 
ING JESUS. 


tice  the 


I 


"Love  is  the  onljr  remedy.  Trustfulness  and  good 
will  are  tho  only  irresistible  weapons.  God  himself 
tames  and  saves  us  by  making  bis  sun  to  shine  upim  the 
evil  and  upon  the  good,  and  by  sending  tho  rain  upon 
the  just  and  the  unjust.  Let  us  place  ourselves  at  tho 
divine  standpoint.  Lot  us  also  be  '  well  pleased '  with 
all  men,  as  capable  of  redemption  and  salvation  and 
Christlikonoss.  Let  us  approach  tho.a  hopefully,  trust- 
fully, tenderly.  Let  the  caroi  of  the  Nativity  echo  in 
our  souls,  in  our  words,  and  in  our  deeds." 

HiTGii  Price  Huoiieb. 

^^Bnt  when  the  comforter  ia  come  whom  I  will  send 
itiito  you  from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of  Truth  which 
proccedet)i  from  Mic  Father,  he  shall  hair  \oltness  of  me. 

He  shall  glorify  mc:  for  lie  shall  take  of  mine,  and.shall 
lUclare  it  unto  yon." — John  xv:3fl;  xvi:14.  (R.V.) 

"  We  speak  about  social  righteousness,  but  for  each 
person  a  beginning  is  found  in  personal  salvation.  It  is 
safe  to  give  this  advice:  Bring  yourself  into  right  rela- 
tions with  Ood;  that  is  the  beginning  of  all  things. 
Through  this  right  relationship  with  God  seek  to  enter 
into  right  relations  with  your  fellows.  Humanitarian- 
ism  by  itself — that  is  to  say,  human' .arianism  which 
does  not  rest  back  upon  God — is  as  unstable  as  tho 
sands.'  Pbof.  Richabd  T,  Elt 


II 


ad  good 
himself 
]p<in  the 
An  upon 
IS  at  the 
od '  with 
lion  and 
y,  trust- 
r  echo  in 

70UES. 

fill  send 
Ah  which 
of  me. 
md.shall 
) 

for  each 
in.  It  is 
^ht  rela- 
i  things. 

to  enter 
nitarian- 
n  which 
e  as  the 
'.Ely 


THE  HOLY  SPIR!  7  ASSERTING  JESUS. 

\]l/irEN  the  disciples  were  journeying  toward 
Emmaus  and  Christ  mot  tlieni  as  a  stranger, 
it  was  not  because  his  own  essential  presence  was 
not  there  that  he  appeared  as  a  stranger,  but  it 
was  because  their  eyes  were  not  opened.  So  it  is 
said,  "Their  eyes  were  holden  that  they  should 
not  know  him."  Later  it  is  said,  "Their  eyes 
were  opened  and  they  knew  him."  That 
same  Spirit  will  open  our  eyes  to-day  to  know 
Jesus!  Many  of  us  covet  an  hour  when  we 
might  look  upon  him  in  some  physical  form, 
and  we  think  that  that  would  be  one  of  the 
chief8st,  richest  hours  we  could  know,  at  least 
this  side  of  death.  Just  to  look  upon  him  for  an 
hour,  or  to  touch  a  physical  hand  moved  by  his 
own  spirit,  dwelling  in  the  body  which  wielded 
the  hand.  But  to  you  and  me  is  positively  grant- 
ed a  privilege  of  realization  and  undbrstanding  of 
Jesus,  exceedingly  superior  to  anything  like  that. 
Christ  has  never  been  so  gloriously  asserted  as  he 
has  been  since  his  ascension,  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
the  souls  of  men  and  women,  brought  home  by  the 
Divine  Illuminator  and  Teacher.    No  wonder  that 


MM 


.M)l 


our  OF  THE  VAIX-LIFH 


Luke  calls  tlu'  Holy  Gliost    ••The  Spirit  of  Jesus." 
Acts  xvi;  7.  etc. 

If  you  were  to  talk  ♦"  me  about  the  habits  of 
)h(>  birds  of  paradise,  I  could  not  converse  intelli- 
gently with  you.  1  d<»  not  know  much  about 
them,  do  not  know  what  kind  of  food  they 
prefer  or  the  kind  of  nesis  they  build.  I  have 
only  seen  some  of  them.  You  might  pro- 
ceed with  your  descriptions  and  I  slumld  sit  still 
and  receive  ttie  instruction,  but  T  could  not  intel- 
ligmtly  answer  you  in  return.  There  would  be 
no  reciprocal/  in  the  conversation;  you  would  be 
tlie  teacher  and  T  would  be  the  pupil — well  enough 
for  a  beginning  only. 

Aud  is  not  this  often  just  the  way  it  is  with 
our  relation  to  Christ  ?  We  hear  of  his  wonder- 
ful mission  and  we  are  greatly  interested  in  his 
wonderful  sayings  and  in  his  death  and  resurrec- 
tion; but  we  are  called  to  have  fellowship  with 
him,  we  are  called  to  have  Christly  motives  mov- 
ing our  motives,  so  that  insteo  \  of  his  atonement 
being  a  distant  event,  our  hearts  have  the  aton- 
ing love  in  them,  and  instead  of  our  hearing 
about  it  with  a  distant  kind  of  admiration,  Christ 
liveth  in  us.  Let  me  again  impress  upon  your 
attention  the  value  of  Christ  not  remaining  lo- 
cally in  the  flesh  in  this  world,  having  one  place 
to  stay,  one  country  to  dwell  in,  but  that,  having 
gotten  through    with    the  local     expression   by 


M»'~ 


i 


THE  IJOLV  SPIRIT  AssEirnsu  JESUS    21; 


which  the  dullness  of  human  vision  wus  cleared, 
he  hus  gone  into  the  Invisible  expression  of  him- 
self, that  he  may  be  revealed  to  every  heart  and 
Incarnated  in  every  life.  Christ  in  you,  the  mys- 
tery hid  from  the  ages;  "Christ  in  you,  the  hope 
of  glory." 

How  rapidly  we  may  learn  if  the  teacher  dwells 
with  us  day  and  night  and  is  an  infallible  teacher. 
If  the  Holy  Ghost  is  to  manifest  the  Christ  unto 
our  souls'  vision,  the  manifestation  must  be  very 
distinct  and  unmistakable.     O,  to  look  upon  him 
with  the  eyes  of  the  soul!     O,  to  see  him  and 
know  he  is  here !     O,  to  realize  his  heart  throb 
against   our  hearts,    and  to    truly  say,  "  This  is 
Jesus."     It  is  the  Holy  Spirit's  office  thus  to  re- 
veal him  to  us.     Did  I  say  di  us  ?     This  is  not 
enough.     It  is  the  Holy  Spirit's  office  to  reveal 
Jesus  in  us.     Paul  says  it  pleased  God   to  reveal 
his  son  in  him,  and  he  goes  on  to  tell  how,  though 
he  was  as  one  born  out  of  due   time,  yet  he  had 
seen  Christ,  he  had  him  revealed  in  him.     That 
heart  of  Paul  which  had  been  so  murderous,  self- 
ish  and   Cain-like,    Christ    was  verily    revealed 
within  it.     Hence  his  missionary  zeal.      And  yet 
that  word   "  zeal  "  is  a  very  limp  word  when  ap- 
plied to  Paul.     It  was  a  missionary  Christ-i-za- 
tiou.     He  simply  got  the  world  on  his  soul,  be- 
cause the  Christ,  the  world's  Redeemer,  was  re- 
vealed in  his  soul.     He  did  not  look  off  upon  the 


14- .31 


IMH 


fll'T  OF  rilK  CAUfLIFE 


,n 


cllstont  CliH«t,  but  to  the  Chi-l«t  within  lilin. 
Such  u  realization  of  Josus  was  well  lllustnitcd  by 
a  yf>unf?  man  In  the  South  whose  former  life  iiad 
been  wayward.  Some  time  after  his  eonversi(»n 
lie  came  to  a  Irylng  hour  of  darkness,  and  upon 
telling  of  Ihe  trial  lie  said,  <•  I  looked  deep  into 
my  e<»nseiousness  and  I  found  the  same  Jesus  still 
there,  so  T  took  heart  again."  This  young  man's 
faith  hud  evidently  been  based  upon  the  true  teach- 
ing that  Christ  eomes  Into  the  life.  The  Holy 
Spirit  of  Pentecost  had  made  the  realization  act- 
ual, dellnlte  and  powerful. 

Speaking  of  tlu!  day  when  those  men  took  tholr 
journey  to  Emmaus,  and  said,  "Did  not  our  hearts 
burn  within  us,  while  he  talked  with  us  by  the 
way,  and  while  he  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures." 

A  little  boy  committing  that  verse  to  memory 
one  day  recited  It  this  way:  "Did  not  our  hearts 
burn  within  us,  wh'le  he  talked  with  us  by  the 
way,  and  while  he  <  x-ned  kh  to  the  Scriptures," 
instead  of  "  While  be  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures." 
His  father  said,  "  No,  my  boy,  that  Is  not  right," 
and  he  tried  it  again,  stumbling  Into  it  the  same 
way.  Next  evening  the  father  was  reading  his 
Bible  at  this  very  place  and  as  he  read  on  he 
noticed  the  forty-fifth  verse  of  that  .  ot  chapter  of 
Luke,  "  Then  opened  he  their  understandings  that 
they  might  understand  the  Scriptures,"  and  he 
said,  "  It  is  right;  he  opens   the  Scriptures  unto 


riiK  HOLY  HPinir  AssERTma  jesus    sio 

us,  and  he  opens  us  unto  the  Scripturos."  A 
groat  many  people  have  the  former  wlio  have  not 
received  the  emphasis  of  the  latter.  Hcn^el's 
motto  was,  "Apply  thyself  wholly  to  the  Scrip- 
turcs  and  apply  the  Scriptures  wholly  to  thyself  '" 
— true  reciprocity. 

But  how  often  the  character  of  Jesus  is  a 
great  historical  character  looked  upon  with  admi- 
ration. We  love  to  hear  him  sung  about,  we  love 
to  hear  his  name  taken  reverently  upon  human 
lips,  and  we  say 

"Swootost  nolo  in  seraph  sons, 
Sweetest  numo  on  morUl  tongue." 

But  it  Is  another  thing  to  have  the  soul  get  the 
life  of  the  atonement  right  Into  it,  until  we  arc 
the  very  lungs  and  Christ,  the  very  breath, 
until  we  are  the  very  veins  and  Christ  the  very 
blood,  the  life,  the  tone  of  our  beings.  May  the 
Holy  Ghost  bring  Jesus  near.  May  he 
bring  Jesus  in  us.      May  he   reveal    him   soon    In 

The  old  self-life  is  so  alive,  so  quick,  so  vigor- 
ous, and  by  common  standards  would  be  called  so 
healthy,  so  robust,  so  sturdy!  May  the  Holy 
Spirit  impart  the  receiving  faith  to  us  this  hour. 

Dear  reader,  the  Christian  life  is  not  the  apply- 
ing of  the  teachings  of  Christ  or  even  the  applying 
of  the  principles  of  Christ  to  our  lives.  It  is  not  an 


IP 


820 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIS'-LIFE 


application ;  it  is  a  realization.  ' '  He  that  hath  the 
Son  hath  Life."  The  word  here  translated  life  is 
"  zoen,"  meaning  the  life  which  is  peculiar  to  God, 
or  God-life.*  The  Christian  life  then  is  a  new  life. 
Instead  of  the  applying  of  the  principles  of  Christ, 
it  is  through  them,  the  ••  Christ  in  you."  For 
this  direct  realization  of  himself,  he  has  provided 
abundantly  in  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Hear 
him  say,  "  But  when  the  Comforter  is  come,  whom 
I  will  send  unto  you  from  the  Father,  even  the 
spirit  of  truth  which  proceedeth  from  the  Father, 
he  shall  testify  of  me."    John  xv:  26. 

He  shall  glorify  me,  for  he  shall  receive  of 
mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you.     John  xvi:  14. 

Select  from  those  verses  these  words,  Jesus' 
own  words:  "He  shall  testify  of  me,  he  shall 
glorify  me,  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine  and  shall 
show  it  unto  you."  What  great  words;  SHOW. 
TESTIFY,  GLORIFY. 

W^e  can  imagine  him  saying,  twenty  centuries 
hence  there  will  be  companies  of  people  gathered 
together,  and  they  will  be  looking  back  over  the 
years  to  Palestine,  counting  my  footsteps,  as  I 
trod  up  and  down  through  the  cities  and  villages 
and  across  the  valleys.  They  will  read  my  words, 
and  delight  to  know  how  I  came  forth  from  the 
Father  to  save  the  world ;  but  they  will  rather  be 
looking  back  over  the  centuries  and  they  will  have 
a  dim  realization  of  my  presence,  my   life,    my 

♦So  used  tliroughout  the  New  Testament,  17s  times  at  least. 


T 


riiE  noLV  si'iiuT  ahhertisu  jesvs     -yn 


ath  the 
llife  is 
to  God, 
e\v  life. 
Clirist, 
"  For 
rovided 
.  Hear 
;,  whom 
van  the 
Father, 

seive  of 
xvi:  14. 

,  Jesus' 
18  shall 
lid  shall 
SHOW. 

enturies 
[athered 
iver  the 
js,  as  I 
villages 
jr  words, 
rom  the 
ather  be 
;vill  have 
life,    my 


vigor  among  them ;  they  will  be  talking  very  much 
of  the  cross,  but  they  will  be  prone  to  forgot  that 
I  am  alive  forever  more.  I  will  not  belittle  the 
cross  or  the  atoning  work  lam  to  do,  but  the  Holv 
Spirit  will  come  and  assert  me,  show  me,  declare 
me,  glorify  me.  Men  shall  know  me  without  the 
fleshly  outfit,  which  I  now  carry  as  my  bodv. 
They  shall  see  me  and  hear  me  and  they  shall 
live,  yet  not  they,  I  shall  live  in  them. 

Is  it  because  we  fear  we  may  belittle  the  ciost 
of  Christ  that  men  so  often  refer  to  the  days  when 
He  was  here?    As    if   He    had   come   and   mine 
Now  it  was  necessary  for  Him  to  emphasize  what 
should  occur,  after  His  physical  form  would  dis- 
appear, hence  He  told  the  disciples  that  He  would 
return  unto  the  Father  and   repeated   the  same 
truth  again  and  again.     It  was  equally  necessary 
that  the  office  of  the  intercessor  should  be  clearly 
assumed  by  Him,  for  especially  the  Jewish  mind 
demanded  it  after  fifteen  centuries  of  training 
under  that  system  of  religion.     But  He  just  as 
plainly  teaches  His  living,  abiding  presence  with 
us,  as  he  does  His  going  unto  the  Father  and  His 
intercession.     Because  I  live  yc  shaH  live  also. 
John    xiv:19.     If  a  man    love  me  we  will  come 
unto  Him  and  make  our  abode  with  Him.     John 
xiv:23. 

That  the  love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me 
may  be  in  them  and  I  in  them.     John  xvii:  26. 


OUT  OF  THE  CAl^-UFE 


Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world.    Matt,  xxviii:  20. 

Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in 
my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them.  Matt. 

xviii:  20. 

If  any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the  door  I 
will  come  in  to  him  and  will  sup  with  him.     Rev. 

iii:  20. 

Our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father  and  with  his 
son  Jesus  Christ.     1  John  i:  3. 
Christ  liveth  in  me.     Gal.  ii:  20. 
Christ  is  infinite  and  everywhere.     Christ  is  as 
truly  in  this  room  as  he  is  in  heaven.     We  have 
made  him  the  dead  Christ.  We  have  made  crosses 
out  of  wood  and  of  metal  and  we  have  made  pictures 
representing  him  dead  and  we  have  been  "cling- 
ing to  the  cross,"   to  it  instead  of  him.     Dear 
cross.     Precious  cross.     Yea,  rather,  dear  Jesus. 
Precious  Jesus.     In  the  infinite  plan  thou  wast 
as  truly  the  slain  one  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world  as  when  on  Calvary.     The  cross  did  not 
make    Ihce  great.       Thou  hast  made  the  cross. 
The    weak    wood     thou     didst    exalt,    as   thou 
dost    the   weak    human   soul.     Christ   of   Beth- 
lehem,  Christ   of   Calvary,  Christ    of    America, 
Christ  of  the  world.     Thou  walkest  in  our  streets, 
thou  sittest  in  our  chairs,  ^hou  speakest  to  our 
storms.     The  centuries   have  not  out-run    thee. 
The   newest  thoughts  and  the  freshest  tides  of 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  ASSERTIXO  JEHUS      223 


B  cud  of 

ther  ill 
1.  Matt. 

;  doov  I 
.     Rev. 

with  his 


fist  is  as 
We  have 
e  crosses 
pictui'es 

"cling- 
1.  Dear 
ar  Jesus, 
lou  wast 
on  of  the 
,  did  not 
he  cross. 

as  thou 
of  Beth- 
America, 
r  streets, 
st  to  our 
run  thee. 
t  tides  of 


life,  that  flow  out  over  our  activities  to-day,  are 
thine  own.  Thou  modern  Christ.  Thou  eternal 
Christ.     Here.      "  But  a  day  old.  ' 

Are  we  yet  living  only  in  the  first  throes  of 
the  Protestant  reformation;  still  Roman;  still 
holding  to  the  dead  Saviour,  with  a  great  strug- 
gle for  regenerating  grace  ?  How  sadly  we  need 
to-day  to  show  humanity  about  us  that  our  Christ 
lives,  that  he  lives  in  us  and  that  he  lives  through 
us,  that  men  may  very  well  see  that  we  let  our 
light  so  shine,  that  wo  glorify  our  Father  in 
Heaven.  We  will  never  get  a  very  definite  asser- 
tion of  Christ  before  the  world  in  any  age,  unless 
we  honor  the  Holy  Spirit.  Truth  is,  these  eyes 
of  ours  will  open  to  no  other  touch  but  the  touch 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  look  upon  the  vision  of 
Jesus;  and  these  hearts  of  ours  will  open  to  no 
other  key  but  that  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  let  the 
Christ  dwell  in  us  richly.  The  apostle  said,  "  He 
that  descended  is  the  same  that  ascended,  that  he 
might  fill  all  things."  This  earth  is  within  the 
sweep  of  that  sentence.  He  shall  testify  of  him. 
he  shall  declare  him,  he  shall  make  him  known. 
This  strange  cry  of  the  heart  after  the  divine  as 
it  is  represented  in  Jesus,  Immanuel,  the  Man  of 
Galilee— this  strange  cry  of  the  heart  shall  be 
hushed  into  a  calm  realization,  which  says,  "I 
know  him,  Jesus  is  mine  and  I  am  his." 
You  see  very  readily  what  an  effect  this  will 


284 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


have  upon  the  statement  sometimes  made,  that  if 
you  emphasize  tlie  teaching  corccrning  the  Holy 
Spirit  you  overlook  Jesus.  Nay,  rather,  if  you 
emphasize  the  teaching  concerning  the  Holy 
Spirit  you  reveal  Jesus.  Let  i.s  receive  the  gift 
and   get    ^he   assertion   of   Christ   in   our  souls 

clearly.  . 

The  idea  of  receiving  a  blessing  from  bod  is 
used  very  much  more  in  the  Old  Testament  than 
in  the  New.  Not  that  it  is  entirely  left  out  of  the 
New  Testament,  for  here  the  word  is  used,  but 
more  especially  in  speaking  of  the  help  man  is  to 
give  to  man,  rather  than  the  life  man  is  to  re- 
ceive from  God.  The  word  -blessed,"  meaning 
little  more  than  happy,  is  used  in  a  more  general 
way  in  the  New  Testament  than  either  the  word 
• .  bless  "  or  "  blessing. "     The  reasons  seem  quite 

evident.  . 

First,  the  word  "bless"  is  too  distant  m  its 
meaning  and  too  weak.  Literally  it  means  "  to 
speak  well  of."  Use  has  given  the  word  a  deeper 
meaning,  but  this  latest,  largest,  fullest  ex- 
pression of  God,  the  Holy  Spirit,  has  outgrown 
the  word  in  its  best  accepted  meaning. 

And,  again,  the  full-orbed  Christian  experience 
as  expressed  in  the  New  Testament  is  rather  an 
experience  of  right  relations  than  of  compli- 
mentary announcements.  God  has  come  to  us 
and  drawn  us  to  himself,  and  we  are  not  so  callea 


MU- 


ittmitmmmmtmim 


THE  iioLv  spinrr  AssEnrrxa  jesvs 


!,  that  if 
:he  Holy 
1-,  if  you 
lie  Holy 
the  gift 
)ur  souls 

\  God  is 
Kilt  than 
3ut  of  the 
used,  but 
inuu  is  to 

is  to  re- 
'  meaning 
•e  general 

the  word 
eem  quite 

;ant  in  its 
leans  "  to 
■d  a  deeper 
uUest  ex- 
outgrown 

experience 
3  rather  an 
of  compli- 
;ome  to  us 
ot  so  called 


to  receive  what  he  will  do  as  through  what  he 
will  do  and  has  done  to  receive  himself,  even  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Hence,  Jesus  said,  '-Come  after 
nie."  "We  will  make  our  al)ode  with  him."  ••  I 
in  them  and  ti,  i  in  me,  "  and  '-I  will  send  the 
Comforter  that  He  may  abide  with  you."  This  is 
more  than  the  blessing,  it  is  life  and  life  from 
person  to  person.  Notwithstanding  this  it  is 
easy  enough  for  any  one  to  take  that  point  of 
view  of  the  subject  which  would  cause  the  num- 
bering of  blessings,  '-the  first  blessing"  and 
'•the  second  blessing,"  as  Luther  called  it  -'a 
second  conversion,"  or  as  Charles  Wesley,  "a 
second  rest,"  or  as  John  Wesley,  ''the  second 
blessing,"  or  as  Andrew  Murray,  ''the  second 
crisis,"  the  "  second  conviction  "  and  "  the  second 
blessing."     It  is  this,  but  it  is  more. 

But  the  direct  act  of  numbering  does  not  ap- 
pear in  the  New  Testament  and  we  do  well  to 
avoid  as  far  as  possible  the  controversy  which  it 
calls  forth  in  our  day.  The  New  Testament  por- 
trayal of  the  self-life  will  be  found  strong  enough 
to  produce  the  conviction,  if  the  soul  is  willing  to 
be  filled  with  the  fulness  of  God.  Let  those  who 
prefer  the  more  ancient  method  of  expressing  use 
it,  but  personally  I  have  found  the  blessed 
Spirit's  indwelling  transform  my  life  as  a  Chris- 
tian, from  the  grasping  to  the  being  grasped,  and 
from  the  fitful  to  the  steady,  without   emphasis 


w 


220 


OrT  OF  TUE  CAIN-LIFE 


being  laid    upon   the   number  of   the  blessing. 

When  I  said, 

"  Give  mo  thyself  from  every  boast— 
From  every  wish  set  free; 
Let  all  I  am  in  thee  be  lost, 
Hutfrive  thystlf  to  me." 

then  how  plainly  I  saw  the  struggle  with  the  old 
sclt-lifo  against  which  in  my  regeneration  God 
had  given  the  better  life— saw  it  until  I  loathed 
it,  saw  it  until  I  believed  the  Holy  Spirit  would 
slay  it,  and  in  that  belief  I  found  him  fill  my 
soul  with  himself,  causing  Jesus  to  be  the  beaute- 
ous one  to  me  the  first  and  the  last,  the  all  in  all. 
Indeed,  as  far  as  I  am  personally  concerned,  the 
numbering  of  God's  operations  in  the  soul  ceased  to 
teaze  me  from  that  day. 

-He  shall  glorify  me."     These  strange  words 
•'glory  "    or   "  glorify  "  or  "glorious,"  how  diffi- 
cult it  is  for  us  to  define  their  meaning.     Glory, 
glory— a  word  so  eagerly  used,  yet  so  mysteriously 
sacred.     We  talk  of  glorifying  the  graves  of  the 
dead  when  we  cover  them  over  with  blooming 
flowers,  we  talk  of  glorifying  a  painting  when  we 
set  the  light  to  shine  so  as  to  bring  out  its  best 
expression.     When  men  and  women  can  find  no 
other  wore  with  which  to  express  themselves  they 
say  ' '  glory.  '     When  assembled  people  with  shin- 
ing faces  are  knitted  into  oneness  of  spirit  and  the 


■  ij<. 


RHP, 


)le8sing. 


J  the  old 
lion  God 
I  loathed 
rit  '.vouUl 
n  fill  my 
le  beaute- 
all  in  all. 
jrned,  the 
1  ce.ascd  to 

nge  words 
'  how  diffi- 
r.  Glory, 
rsteriously 
,ves  of  the 

blooming 
g  when  we 
it  its  best 
an  find  no 
selves  they 

with  shin- 
irit  and  the 


THE  HOLY  SPmrr  ASSERTma  JESUS      2!)7 

songs  of  the  hymn  book  seem  lame,  they  raise 
their  voices  and  say  "glory."  When  in  the 
death  hour  no  other  word  seems  exactly  to  fit  the 
ecstatic  expression  of  the  victor,  he  will  whisper 
GLORY.  Paul  says  that  there  is  one  glory 
of  the  sun  and  another  glory  of  the  moon 
and  another  glory  of  the  stars;  for  one 
star  diffei-eth  from  another  in  glor).  As  if  tn 
say,  there  is  a  kind  of  shine  on  the  sun  we  call 
glory,  and  another  kind  of  shine  on  the  moon  we 
call  glory,  and  another  on  the  stars  we  desig- 
nate glory.  He  also  says  that  we  shall  be 
changed  from  glory  unto  gloi'y  even  as  by  the 
spirit  of  the  Lord.  Jesus  using  the  same  word 
says  that  the  glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father 
he  gave  unto  his  children,  just  after  he  had  said 
'•  Father  glorify  thou  me  with  the  glory  v.lui'b  I 
had  with  thee  before  the  world  was."  And  here 
he  uses  it  again  when  he  says,  ' '  The  Holy  Spirit, 
when  he  comes,  shall  glorify  me."  Did  I  say  too 
intense  a  thing  when  I  said  we  could  know  Christ 
better  than  they  did  when  he  was  here  in  the 
flesh?  Hearken:  "show,"  "testify,"  "glorify." 
"  He  shall  glorify  me,"  he  shall 'turn  the  light 
on  the  picture.  O,  Jesus,  my  Jesus,  how  beau- 
teous thou  art!  The  fairest  among  ten  thousand 
times  ten  thousand,  my  Jesus,  my  Jesus!  How 
resplendent  thou  art,  glorified  to  even  my  soul  by 
the  Holy  Spirit;  loveliest  of  the  loveliest,  divinest 


,1 


tr^ 


228 


OUT  OF  'HIE  CAJX-LIFE 


i :. 


i 


1  n 


I'-i 


.) 


of  the  divinest,  there  is  none  like  thee,  beauteous 
Son  of  God. 

"But  if  the  ministration  of  death,  written  and 
engraven  on  stone,  came  wi*h  the  glory,  so  that 
the  children  of  Israel  could  not  look  steadily 
upon  the  face  of  Moses  for  the  glory  of  his  face; 
which  glory  was  passing  away;  how  shall  not 
rather  the  ministration  of  the  spirit  be  with 
glory  ?  For  if  the  ministration  of  condemnation 
is  glory,  much  rather  doth  the  ministration  of 
righteousness  exceed  in  glory.  For  verily  that 
which  hath  been  made  glorious  hath  not  been 
made  glorious  in  this  respect,  by  reason  of  the 
glory  that  surpasseth.  For  if  that  which  passeth 
away  was  with  glory,  much  more  that  which  re- 
maineth  is  in  glory.  But  we  all,  with  unveiled 
face  reflecting  as  a  mirror  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
are  transformed  into  the  same  image  from  glory 
to  glory,  even  as  from  the  Lord  the  Spirit.  2 
Corinthians  3:7-11,  18  (R.  V). 

Let  me  recall  for  you  as  nearly  as  I  can  an  inci- 
dent told  by  an  American  preacher.  In  one  of 
the  families  of  his  parish  was  a  little  girl,  who 
had  been  blind  from  her  infancy.  Surgeons  were 
called  in  to  operate,  but  their  operation  proved 
unsuccessful.  A  second  operation  was  performed 
with  the  same  sad  result.  The  hearts  of  the  par- 
ents were  sore;  they  had  spent  much  money, 
willingly  and  freely;  and  the  child  had  endured 


0 


THE  HOLY  sriniT  Assi:[t'nsu  jKsrs     a-jo 


t:i 


much  puin.  but  she  could  not  spo.  Never 
since  lier  recoiled  ion  could  she  look  upon 
her  niolher  or  her  fiifher.  One  day  the 
surj^eons  met  the  father  and  said  to  him, 
"We  think  another  operation  would  cure 
the  child."  The  father  said,  "I  fed  '  re  is  no 
possible  cure  and  the  pain  she  sulT.  ,  arly  kills 
me."  They  persuaded  him  that  tliey  had  "ood 
reason  to  think  some  benefit  might  follow  another 
opei'ation,  and  urged  the  undertaking  of  it.  The 
parents  agreed  to  permit  another  trial,  and  the 
surgeons  were  told  that  they  could  operate  on  the 
cliild's  eyes  again,  After  the  operation  they 
again  covered  the  little  eyes  to  await  results. 
During  the  interval  the  father  met  the  pastor  and 
said,  "Pastor,  will  you  come  over  to  onr  house  to- 
morrow morning?  "  The  pastor  in  telling  about 
it  said,  I  had  been  very  busy  that  day  and  before 
I  recalled  to  mind  sufficiently  to  understand  what 
his  request  meant,  I  had  spoken.  Then  I  recol- 
lected that  the  time  was  about  due  to  have  the 
bandages  removed  from  the  child's  eyes,  and  I 
asked  him  when  I  should  come.  He  gave  nie  the 
hour.  I  went  a  few  minutes  early,  .and  when  I 
entered  the  home  I  was  fairly  overcome  with  the 
suspense,  which  was  evident  on  the  faces  of  the 
parents.  By  and  by  the  surgeons  appeared,  the 
nervous  father  paced  up  and  down  the  floor,  ti.lk- 
ing  excitedly.     The  mother  sat  holding  the  little 


tfT 


no 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


child's  hands  in  her  hands,  the  tours  streaming 
down  her  cheelfs.  It  was  a  terrible  moment,  while 
we  waited  tremulously,  intent.  The  physician 
pulled  out  tlie  pin  from  the  bandage  to  unwind  it 
slowly,  slowly.  Will  she  sec?  What  slight  cov- 
erings remain  between  the  questions,  will  she  see 
or  will  she  not.  Pleading  looks  were  very  com- 
mon in  that  home  that  morning.  This  was  indeed 
hoping  against  hope.  The  bandages  are  i'(<movcd, 
and  instantly,  the  little  child,  with  voice  of  per- 
fect rapture,  calls  out,  "O,  mamma,  mamma, 
mamma,  I  never  thought  you  looked  like  that. 
O,  mamma,  mamma."  Then  turning  to  her  papa, 
"  My  papa,  my  papa,  is  that  my  papa?  "  And, 
again  exultant  with  rapture  she  exclaims,  "O, 
the  light,  the  light!"  Many  tears  and  kisses mhi- 
gled  upon  the  face  of  the  darling  child.  Her  eyes 
had  been  opened  while  the  glory  of  the  light  had 
lit  up  the  surroundings.  How  like  this  is  that 
opening  of  the  vision  of  the  soul  upon  the  Son  of 
Gofl  when  the  Holy  Spirit  comes  into  the  life, 
and  when  he  is  thus  set  forth  in  his  resplendent 
beauty. 

Who  of  us  who  know  him  under  the  revealing 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  has  not  said,  "Oh,  the  light, 
the  light! "  I  know  a  man  who  had  been  born 
and  reared  a  Roman  Cutholic.  That  man  came 
into  a  meeting  one  evening  as  a  seeker  after 
Christ.     He  was  a  fiorist,  and  had  refined  tastes, 


ming 

, 

while 

iciun 

nd  it 

cov- 

e  see 

com- 

ideed 

ovod, 

f  j)or- 

nma, 

that. 

papa. 
And, 

"0, 

' 

mhi- 

eyes 
J  had 

that 

on  of 

life, 

ulent 

aling 
ight, 
born 

came 

after 

istes, 

THE  nOLV  srilllT  ASSr.ltTJMI  JKSI'S      •ilil 


and  when  I  came  near  him  T  said.  "Brother,  how 
much  light  have  you  got  on  the  subject?"  He 
turned  his  faceup  to  mc  and  said.  "Klectric.  elec- 
tric." And  we  may  say,  "Jesus,  1  never  thought 
you  were  like  that!  I  never  thought  you  would 
be  so  real,  I  never  thought  you  would  be  so  near, 
I  never  thought  you  could  be  so  dear  to  my  heart. " 
Mary  and  Martha  and  Lazarus  were  in  the  twi- 
light of  knowledge  cc -^-pared  with  this  which  my 
soul  has  while  the  Holy  Spirit  glorifies  Christ 
to  it. 

A  gentleman  visiting  one  of  the  art  galleries  of 
Europe  became  so  greatly  interested  in  a  picture 
that  he  studied  it  for  hours.  His  traveling  com- 
panion left  him  to  look  at  other  pictures,  and  re- 
turned several  times  to  see  if  he  was  not  ready  to 
proceed.  Each  time  he  asked  for  a  little  longer 
opportunity  to  study  this  one  great  production. 
By  and  by,  his  companion,  weary  with  waiting 
for  him,  said :  ' '  What  can  you  see  in  that  old 
picture  to  keep  you  so  long?"  The  gentleman 
tried  to  explain  its  merits  and  impress  tliem  upon 
his  friend's  attention,  but  without  avail.  He  an- 
swered, "  I  can  not  see  anything. so  ejrtraordinary 
about  that  picture."  Then  the  gt.itleman  replied, 
"Don't  you  wish  you  could?"  It  takes  the  inspired 
soul  to  see  the  inspiring  beauty,  and  it  takes  the 
inspired  reader  to  get  at  the  re  I  wealth  in  the 
scriptures  and  of  the  Christ  they  present. 


HT! 


OCT  OF  THE  CAIXLIFE 


Now  we  need  to  cHtimate  life  and  its  trials  as 
ChrJHt  docs,  We  need  to  fool  about  sin  UHCIirlst 
docs.  Tlicn  every  form  of  its  expression  becomes 
tons  deadly  and  we  are  glad  to  devote  ourselves 
at  any  cost  to  its  destruction.  The  Calvary, 
spirit  does  not  take  much  time  asking,  ^'W/mf 
himn  in  (here  in  if?"  It  not  only  undertakes  not 
to  do  wrong  but  the  burden  of  its  fleeting  mo- 
ments is,  "  Save  the  wnnig-doers  through  the 
right."  We  need  to  feel  about  sutTering  and  hard 
knocks  of  persecution  just  as  Christ  does,  Com- 
fort-loving and  case  never  entered  into  the  pro- 
gramme of  this  "servant  of  all."  Every  act  of  his 
represents  a  holy  purpose  which  we  mortals 
would  call  bravery  of  tlie  first  quality. 

Christ  is  our  flff,  and  we  are  to  live  him  out. 
Let  us  look  up  calmly  and  say,  "This  is  my  Jesus, 
come  let  us  go  out  with  him."  As  one  can  best 
descril)e  what  frost  is  who  lias  lived  in  it  and  felt 
its  tingle,  or  as  one  can  best  prize  music  who  has 
given  himself  to  it,  so  we  who  s^ive  ourselves  over 
unto  Christ  shall  know  him,  witnessed  to  and 
glorified  by  that  Spirit  of  truth  who  searcheth  all 
things,  yea  the  deep  things  of  God.  The  redemp- 
tive life  is  his  own  H'o  No  distant  admiring 
look  can  produce  it  No  formal  partaking  of 
emblems  can  create  it.  No  inflicted  or  voluntary 
suffering  can  woo  it  to  us.  The  Holy  Spirit  has 
this  work  to  do  and  he  wills  to  do  it  for  and  in 


U.- 


TUK  iioLF  si'UiiT  Assmrnsu  .JKSi:s 


.'33 


x\n  a.s 
'lii'ist 
•oines 
4olvo.s 
vary. 
W/iat 
»s  not 
f  mo- 
ll tho 
htird 
Corn- 
pro- 
of his 
irtols 

1  out. 
Fesus, 
I  best 
dfelt 
0  has 
3  over 
)  and 
th  all 
lomp- 
liring 
ig  of 
ntary 
it  has 
nd  in 


tiiose  who  loiicivc  him  by  faith.  Truly  sec  Jcmus 
and  j^rct'd  will  be  rlmuj^i'd  to  ^^ciiorosity,  ambition 
to  philanthropy  an<l  four  lo  faith,  Uisi>  to  his  pianc 
of  unstinted  sacriticc  and  no  serviic  can  be  so  great 
but  that  its  winning  beauty  shall  app(>ar  in  the 
midst  of  toil  and  sufTei-iug,  tears  and  blood,  to 
which  Its  execution  honors  us  with  a  call.  We 
may  outgrow  our  theories.  We  can  not  outgrow 
Christ. 

Gentle  Holy  Spirit,  our  souls  would  now  receive 
the  witness,  the  declaring  and  the  glorifying  of 
Jesus  within  thora.  This  wc  are  sure  will  be 
more  than  our  gener;  conception  of  a  blessing. 
We  would  reverently  pray  with  the  new  convert 
from  lu>athenism,  "  O,  Lord,  make  us  to  sparkle 
all  over  with  Jcaus." 


.  il 


STRENGTHENED  WITH 
POWER. 


"  Did  you  over  notice  that  all  but  the  heart  of  man 
obeys  God?  If  you  look  right  through  history  you  will 
find  that  this  is  true.  In  the  beginning  God  said,  '  Lot 
there  bo  light.'  and  there  was  light.  '  Let  the  wators 
bring  forth,'  and  the  water  brought  forth  abundantly. 
And  one  of  the  proofs,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  God  is  that 
ho  spoke  to  nature,  and  nature  obeyed  him.  At  one 
time  ho  spoko  to  the  sea,  and  the  sea  recognized  and 
obeyed  him.  He  spoke  to  tho  fig  tree,  and  instantly  it 
withered  and  died.  It  obeyed  literally  and  at  once.  He 
spoko  to  devils,  and  the  devils  fled.  He  spoke  to  the 
grave,  and  tho  grave  obeyed  him  and  gave  back  its 
dead.  But  when  he  speaks  to  man,  man  will  not  obey 
him;  that  is  why  man  is  out  of  harmony  with  God.  and 
it  will  never  be  different  until  men  learn  to  obey  God." 

P.  L.  MooDv. 

"  Slrcngthciicd  with  iwwcr  Unvugh  kis  spirit  in  the  In- 
uard  man  thul  Christ  may  dwell  In  your  hcarU<  through 
fnlth;  to  the  end  that  ye,  bclny  rooted  and  groiimled  In 
love,  may  be  strong  to  apjtrefiend  with  all  the  saints  what 
is  the  breadth  and  lenfjUi  and  height  and  depth,  and  to 
know  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeOi  knowledge,  that  ye 
maybeftUed  unto  all  the  fullness  of  Ood." — Ephesians 
iii:16-19.    (R.V.) 

"  I  will  call  over  each  member  of  my  orphanage  in 
my  mind  with  solemn  prayer,  and  search  out  every  per- 
fection at  every  kind;  any  trace  of  tho  image  of  God 
which  I  can  discern  in  each,  and  enter  them  on  paper, 
adding  thereto  every  fresh  discovery,  and  then  to  each 
name  affix  a  plan,  denoting  what  is  tho  best  method  of 
helping  that  person's  infirmities  and  strengthening  his 
virtues.  If  I  do  not  thus  study  the  tempers  and  dispo- 
sitions of  my  family,  how  unlike  will  my  carriage  be  to 
that  of  my  he&venly  Father  towards  me." 

Mrs.  Marv  Fletcher. 


if  man 

)U  will 

I,  '  I>OL 

waters 
lantly. 
13  that 
Vt  ono 
cd  and 
ntly  it 
(>.  He 
to  the 
ick  its 
t  obey 
d.  and 
r  God." 

ODV. 

U:c  in- 
hrough 
dcd  in 
8  wluit 
and  to 
that  i/c 
lesians 

age  in 
ry  per- 
}f  God 
paper, 

0  each 
;hod  of 
[ng  his 

dispo- 

1  be  to 

HER. 


STRENGTHENED  WITH   POWER. 

I X  his  adtlrotss  on  ' '  Tl.f  Beauty  of  a  Life  of 
Service"  Phillips  Broolvs  suys,  "Christianity 
has  not  been  tried.  My  friends,  no  man  dares  1o 
condemn  the  Christian  faith  to-day  because  it  has 
not  been  tried." 

God  is  surely  calling  to-day  for  a  race  of  men 
and  women  who  will  put  that  unique  form  of  re- 
ligion called  Christianity  to  the  test,  or  rather  to 
the  proof.  He  is  calling  for  a  race  of  people  who 
will  demonstrate  not  only  that  Christianity  is 
capable  of  cultivating  our  religious  po""  'ers,  set- 
ting the  heart  at  ease  from  itself  and  giving  lib- 
erty of  soul,  but  that  it  is  capable  of  producing 
serene  lives  filled  with  unrepaid  service  for 
humanity  and  kept  in  the  great  fellowship  of  God 
night  and  day,  moment  by  moment.  We  need  to 
get  a  stirring  conviction  of  the  strength  and 
wealth  of  Christianity,  unreduced,  full  strength. 
Look  at  those  words  of  Paul  in  .Ephesians, 
third  chapter,  verses  16,  17,  18  and  19.  Look  at 
the  great  striking  words  which  stand  out  in  that 
passage  of  Scripture  like  great  mountain-peaks. 
Strengthened,  Power,  Spirit,  Inward  man,  Christ, 
Dwell,   Hearts,  Faith,  Rooted,   Grounded,  Love, 


sm 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


Apprehend,  Saints,  Know,  Filled,  God.  Some 
portions  of  Scripture  run  up  to  a  climax  very  per- 
ceptibly, like  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6;  but  this  one  ap- 
pears like  a  great  perfection,  every  part  of  which 
ii  separated  from  the  rest  would  fill  a  world  all  its 
own.  Cut  each  phrase  up  like  a  potato  and  each 
part  will  have  an  eye  in  it  that  will  sprout  and 
bear  fruit.  It  is  refreshing  to  approach  such 
words  as  these,  for  if  we  are  hungry  we  can  sure- 
ly feed  here.  And  here  is  the  wonder.  All  that 
is  told  of  the  possibilities  of  grace  in  this  text 
hinges  upon  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Let  us  read  it  over  slowly  and  weigh  every  word. 
"That  he  would  gi'ant  you  according  to  the 
riches  of  his  glory,  that  ye  may  be  strengthened 
with  POWER  through  his  spirit  in  the  inward  man ; 
that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  through 
faith;  to  the  end  that  ye,  being  rooted  and 
grounded  in  love,  may  be  strong  to  apprehend 
with  all  the  saints  what  is  the  breadth  and  length 
and  height  and  depth,  and  to  know  the  love  of 
Christ  which  passeth  knowledge  that  ye  may  be 
filled  unto  all  the  fulness  of  God."     (R.  V.) 

What  about  this  great  inner  man?  Elsewhere 
Paul  calls  attention  to  the  outward  man  perish- 
ing, but  says  that  the  inner  man  is  renewed  day 
by  day.  There  is  an  outward  and  an  inner  man,  the 
husk  and  the  corn.  There  is  a  terrible  insult  to 
this  word  in  use,  when  men  are  said  to  supply  the 


*il.' 


STRENGTHENED  WFTH  POWEIt 


33l> 


inner  man  by  taking  dinner,  as  if  a  man's  stomach 
were  the  inner  man.  Coy  as  life  itself  is  this  great 
region.  Few  people  appaar  to  have  allowed  them- 
selves to  look  into  it.  It  would  seem  like  lookinsi: 
down  a  dizzy  height  or  otT  upon  a  terrific  storm. 
It  jars  the  feelings.  Men  will  speak  with  con- 
tempt about  distinct  teaching  concerning  the 
Holy  Spirit.  I  do  not  wonder  that  people  do  not 
realize  the  presence  aad  personality  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Do  we  begin  to  realize  our  own  person- 
ality? O,  the  sweep  of  being,  O,  the  depths  and 
heights  of  the  soul,  even  of  a  little  child. 

To  look  through  one's  own  being  is  like  going 
off  the  hurricane-deck  of  a  steamer  on  to  the 
passenger-deck.  (Many  people  appear  to  go  no 
further  than  this.  What  do  they  know  about  the 
vessel?)  To  look  through  one's  own  being  is  to 
go  down  stairs  into  tlie  saloon,  then  go  down 
another  stairway  to  the  hold,  and  go  on  down 
until  you  come  to  the  keelson.  Then  traverse 
the  vessel  from  stem  to  stern,  and  when  you  have 
completed  your  examination  looking  over  the 
many  appliances  and  the  general  outfit  of  it,  with 
surprise  you  will  say,  '  'Why,  this  is  a  floating  city. '' 
Little  wonder  that  Paul,  speaking  of  the  love  of 
God,  is  made  by  both  the  authorized  and  the  re- 
vised versions  to  say,  "  It  is  shed  abroad  in  our 
hearts."  We  are  not  conscious  of  a  fraction  of 
the  meaning  of  our  own  existence  as  spiritual 


840 


OUT  OF  TUE  CAIN-LIFE 


beings.     We  hold  that  we  are  spirits  in  our  com- 
monest methods  of  expression,  calling  hands  and 
feet  and  miud  and  feelings  ours,  not  us,  but  that 
mightji  personality  which  should  alarm  us  when 
separate  from  God  becomes  to  us  but  the  merest 
generality.    The  great  concern  of  God  for  human- 
ity is  no   exaggeration.     It  is    the  concei'n  of 
purest  love,  but  it  is  all  lavished  upon  beings 
made    originally   a  little    lower   than   God  and 
stricken  with  disloyalty,  to  recover  us  from  which 
all  heaven  is  concerned.     The  great  inner  man  is 
the  center  of  righteous  or  unrighteous  ambitions, 
the  great  region   where  love  has  her  nest  and 
fi'om  which  she  flies  out  in  the  mid-heavens  of 
Providence.     The  great  inner  man  is  the  region 
where  all  the  graces  may  live  and  grow,  and  ifis  a 
territory  vast,  so  vast  that  God  alone  can  over- 
take it.     And  that  man  who  is  not  a  Christian 
is  not  only  rebellious  but  he  is  utterly  foolish  to 
undertake  to  manage  himself.     He  is  too  vast. 
There  are  so  many  highways  leading   into  the 
secrets  of  his  character,  there  are  so  many  gate- 
less  highways  about  unregenerate  man,  that  he 
is  f  tjrfectly  foolish  when  he  undertakes  to  say,  I 
will  do  the  best  I  can  with  myself,  so  incompetent 
is  he  to  watch  all  these  highways. 

This  I  think  is  what  Paul  had  in  mind  when  he 
said,  ' '  And  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all 
understanding  shall  guard  your  hearts  and  miuds 


1 


■.  .,A.  J.,.  ^\s^hM,-':-^imm^Mi^^^'i>^^'^i^^^'^^^*^^^^^^^^'^''^ 


STPEXOTIIEXED  WTTIT  PnWEIt 


;mi 


r  coin- 
Is  and 
,t  that 
when 
nerest 
umuu- 
;rn  of 
beings 
>d  and 
I  which 
man  is 
itions, 
rt  and 
fens  of 
region 
1  it' is  a 
a  over- 
iristian 
jlish  to 
0  vast, 
tto  the 
y  gate- 
that  he 
)  say,  I 
apetent 

vrhen  he 
seth  all 
d  miudb 


through  Christ  Jesus."  Tiio  word  hero  ren- 
dered "guard."  is  I  he  very  same  word  whieh  is 
used  for  a  Rctnian  sentry,  and  hence  he  would 
seem  to  say.  these  highways  into  your  being  are 
very  long  and  wide  and  many,  and  over  there  by 
that  gateway  shall  stand  Peace,  and  when  Lust 
shall  come  running  in  from  the  devil's  army  tn 
get  at  you,  Peace  shall  say.  "Stay.  I  am  here  ;' 
and  when  Envy  shall  come  running  in  from  the 
devil's  army  to  the  secret  of  your  being,  then  up- 
on his  reaching  the  gateway,  Peace  shall  say. 
"Stay,  lam  here,"  and  when  Doubt  and  Ftir 
come  running  toward  us  to  capture  us.  Peace 
shall  stand  with  her  serene  face  and  say  "  Stay, 
lam  here,"  until  the  whole  being  is  kept  by  the 
power  of  God  through  faith  unto  a  salvation  ready 
to  be  revealed.  For  Peace  is  majestic  and  keen- 
eyed. 

This  great  inner  man  then  is  to  be  guarded  by 
Peace,  the  surroundings  are  to  be  forrifications 
that  are  quiet  and  lovely,  the  guarded  soul  is 
consequently  kept  under  the  secure  keeping  of  an 
infinite  God,  and  no  other  power  can  keep  it. 

The  inner  man  I  Do  you  not  know  how  this 
moment  you  think  you  have  the  inner  man  mas- 
tered and  you  say,  "I  will  always  be  kind,  "  and 
in  less  than  thirty  minutes  some  person  has  said 
something  to  you  which  has  caused  to  spring  up 
within  you  the  very  venomous  disposition  of  per- 


■KiWMII 


343 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


I 


«a 


dition.  Man  might  just  as  well  undertake  to  feed 
himself  by  grasping  in  the  air  as  to  undertake  to 
guard  the  inner  man  himself.  He  can  not  do  it. 
None  but  the  Infinite  One  can  supply  our  all  but 
infinite  wants. 

Now  this  inner  man  is  Christ's  great  craft. 
He  hath  come  to  captain  it.  He  will  stay  with 
the  ship  day  and  night.  He  will  strengthen  it 
against  the  beating  waves  and  he  will  with  equal 
ease  hush  the  graves  to  rest.  Will  he  stay? 
Will  he  surely  "Jwell  in  our  hearts  ?  Ah,  tell  us 
this  until  we  believe  it  if  you  can.  Most  of  us 
know  something  of  what  it  means  to  have  high 
moments  of  ecstasy  and  victory.  So  true  is  this 
that  in  certain  regions  of  the  church's  thought 
to-day  there  is  an  idea  that  really  the  Chriijtian 
life  implies  a  peripatetic  kind  of  allegiance.  We 
talk  about  a  mountain-top  experience  and  a 
valley  experience,  aru  a  '.  right  day  and  a  dark 
day.  Very  often  I  fear  the  real  significance  of 
it  is  a  loyal  condition  and  a  disloyal  condition, 
a  true  condition  and  an  untrue  condition,  tor  un- 
less you  are  talking  merely  about  the  region  of 
your  feelings,  which  is  not  the  essential  region  of 
Christianity,  then  certainly  there  must  be  an  ini- 
quitous departure  from  God's  love  when  you  get 
ii<to  the  valley.  Do  you  mean  that  your  charac- 
ter goes  mountain  and  then  valley,  light  place 
and  then  dark  place? 


•Ji 


,''■".  >;i?^\^^'.■^-;^'c-Mli's^i'"^^/■'^' 


to  feed 

take  to 

do  it. 

ill  but 

craft. 
y  with 
:.hea  it 
1  equal 

stay? 

tell  us 
t  of  us 
e  high 

is  this 
bought 
iriijtian 
!.     We 

and  a 
a  dark 
ince  of 
idition, 
tor  un- 
^ion  of 
gion  of 

an  ini- 
i^ou  get 
charac- 
t  place 


STItEyOTHEXED  WITH  POWER 


I'KI 


This  is  not  a  question  of  weeping  or  laughing. 
^  Tears  can  be  produced  with  horseradish  and  laugh- 
tor  with  a  feather.  Nothing  is  superficial  here. 
We  are  dealing  with  the  inner  man.  The  inner 
man  may  know  both  the  joy  and  the  sorrow 
of  the  Lord  just  as  the  dew-drop  reflect  i  the 
light  as  surely  as  the  ocean.  And  the  joy  is  in 
the  sorrow  and  |the  sorrow  is  in  the  joy,  as 
the  light  is  in  the  flower  and  the  flower  is  in 
the  light.  God  has  no  contradictions  in  his 
nature.  Slay  the  self-life  and  God  brings  the 
Christ-life  and  he  brings  it  to  abide. 

How  he  punctuated  every  great  lesson  of  the 
fifteenth  of  John  with  that  word  "  abide. !'  He 
gathered  together  illustration  and  explanation 
and  exhortation  and  piled  the  one  upon  the  other 
and  then  set  upon  the  pyramid  that  word 
"abide."  He  conditioned  great  results  in  prayer 
upon  it,  so  great  that  they  astound  the  unregen- 
erate  man.  Christian  joy,  Christian  love  and 
fruit-bearing  follow  in  the  train  of  his  thought 
until  as  a  climax  he  promises  the  Ho.y  Spirit,  the 
Comforter.  But  who  of  us  has  not  had  that  cher- 
ished moment  of  high  resolution?-  I  used  to 
board  with  a  lady  who  was  the  mother  of  five 
children — and  when  I  speak  of  her  I  speak  with 
bated  breath,  for  her  failures  seem  only  to 
emphasize  my  own.  She  used  to  be  very  jubi- 
lant   on    Sunday,  she    would    shout    hallelujah 


344 


OL'T  OF  Tin:  LAiy-UFK 


and  slio  was  a  groat  cluirch  attondcr,  l)ut  l)oforf' 
Monday  noon,  tlmnigh  the  partition  Ix'twccn  tlio 
piaco  wh(Mv  slu>  and  tlu'  family  dwelt  and  my 
room.  I  would  fairly  seem  to  lu'ar  her  slippers 
scold  the  floor.  She  ;ippeared  to  have  lost  all  her 
great  grace.  She  had  religion  enough  for  a  pew,/, 
hnt  she  had  iiOt  enough  for  a  wash-tub.  She  had 
great  enthusiasm  in  testimony-meeting,  but  it  wa.'; 
another  thing  to  have  five  of  God's  lambs  to 
be  fed.  Surely  tl.is  is  not  all  "the  Christian 
life"  means.  Abide,  abide.  The  world  to-day  is 
hunting  and  God  is  pleading  for  a  company  of 
Christian  people  who  can  shine,  every  day  lumin- 
ous. Said  Paul.  "Among  whom  we  shine  as  lu- 
minaries in  the  world,"  and  he  had  just  said  pre- 
viously that  it  was  to  be  done  in  the  midst  of  a 
crooked  and  perverse  generation,  too.  O,  to  get 
over  this  peripatetic  kind  of  loyalty  followed  by 
disloyalty,  this  building  up  a  splendid  structure, 
and  then  standing  back  and  seeing  it  tumble,  and 
then  letting  our  tears  fall  over  the  broken  tim- 
bers, and  building  up  again,  until  we  get  tired, and 
otandinij  back  and  seeing  it  fall  and  weeping 
over  ti.t»  splintered  timbers  again.  Surely  such 
experience  can  not  bo  ' '  grounded, "  like  a  building, 
on  a  deep  foundation,  or  '  '-(toted,  "like  a  tree,  in 
love. 

Time  is  as  nothing  with  our  Keeper.      "O,  but 
the  circumstances."     Never  forget  that  circum- 


sTnF.\(rrnKSFJ>  \nrif  nnwHii 


l)0f()l'0 

fell  tlio 
iiul  my 
slippers 
:  all  hoi" 
•apcw./^ 
She  had 
1  it  wan 
mbs  to 
iristian 
o-(lay  is 
)any  of 
•  lumin- 
?  as  lu. 
id  pre- 
st  X)f  a 
,  to  get 
wed  by 
ucture, 
ale,  and 
»n  tim- 
[•ed,  and 
seeping 
ly  such 
lilding, 
tree,  in 

'O,  but 
circum- 


stances are  our  opjMirtunitirs.  A  great  deal  \h 
said  to-day  about  cnvironnK'nt.  Tlu'ri-  is  no 
do\ibt  about  the  value  of  a  proper  eiiviroi\nient  if 
properly  used — it  is  better  to  live  on  the  south 
side  of  life  than  on  the  north,  but  if  you  lieep  im- 
proving the  environment  and  di»  not  keep  improv- 
ing the  soul,  soon  all  advantage  beeonics  eommon 
and  the  individual  beconifs  thankless  and 
dvarfed.  Place  a  selfisli,  jealous  person  into  a 
tntmsion,  provide  servants  and  elegance  i>"d  pay  ^ 
all  the  bills  for  him.  and  unless  he  loses  that  sel- 
fishness he  will  soon  become  accustomed  to  the 
comforts  and  blister  your  very  feelings  with  in- 
gratitude. A  violin  which  will  not  sound  well  In^ 
a  log  cabin  will  not  sound  well  in  a  mansion. 
Plant  a  thorn  tree  in  a  valley  and  it  is  a  thorn. 
Plant  it  on  the  hillside  and  it  is  still  a  thorn.  In 
sandy  soil,  thorn ;  in  clay  soil,  thorn ;  in  winter, 
thom;  in  summer,  thorn.  The  environment  will 
not  change  it.  All  over  this  world  you  may  find 
people  quarreling  with  their  occupations.  The 
hatter,  the  barber,  the  dentist,  the  tailor,  the 
shoemaker;  all  occupations  illustrating  this  old 
quarrel.  It  is  an  old  device  of  the^nemy  to  get 
us  to  quarrel  with  circinnstances  rather  than 
resolutely  set  our  wills  by  faith  in  Christ  to  have 
the  self-life  slain  and  the  Christ-life  imparted. 
Are  you  poor  ?  You  can  have  Christ  abide  in 
you.     Others  have,   and    the    pi'omise  is  yours. 


?^ru9HW| 


terf 


•M 


OI/T  OF  THE  CAlNUFt: 


Are  you  friill  unci  do  you  live  In  a  defotlivc  body? 
You  may  huvo  Christ  abiding?;  ollierH  Imve,  und 
the  promise  is  to  you.  Are  you  strong  und  fore- 
handed with  eirounislunees?  You  may  prove 
how  you  do  In  the  secret  of  his  searching  draw  all 
your  good  and  all  your  triumph  not  from  self  but 
from  Christ.  He  would  abide.  Does  some  otie 
say,  "  I  have  tried  this  often.  Vows  have  been 
made  In  tears  and  my  deepest  motives  appear  to 
have  favored  this  very  life  of  the  abiding  pres- 
ence of  Christ,  but  I  have  not  succeeded.  Such 
a  life  appears  beyond  my  reach  and  rather  for 
angels   than  for  men." 

A  lady  whose  life  had  been  very  ordinary  In- 
deed, when  compared  with  the  richer  privileges 
in  Christ,  received  through  the  Holy  Spirit's  light- 
ing up  the  things  of  God  to  her,  such  a  realiza- 
tion of  Christ  that  her  face  was  beautifully  lit  up, 
her  voice  was  soft  and  her  very  attitude  superior. 
She  began  at  once  to  say,  "I  must  go  right  homo 
and  tell  my  children  of  the  beauty  of  Jesus.  The 
beauty  of  Jesus.  I  never  saw  Jesus  like  this  be- 
fore." Then  quick  as  a  flash  she  began  to  utter 
these  words  half  sorrowfully,  "Can  I  keep  It;  can 
I  keep  It." 

Now,  here  the  gift  of  power  finds  Its  place.  We 
are  to  be  sitrengthened  with  power  that  Christ 
may  dwell.  That  life,  that  Christ-life,  forgiving 
enemies,  delighting  to  serve;  sacrificial  and  free 


STItESUTHESE])  WITH  I'OWEIt 


^■•7 


from  pride,  jealousy,  lust,  malice  and  unger  is 
Itself  fhurj^ed  with  too  much  force  for  us  to  muin- 
tuin  it  in  constancy.  Conscious  of  this,  and 
either  forj^ettinj^  or  not  having  known  about  the 
power  of  tho  Holy  Spirit,  multitudes  have  be- 
come discouraged  and  have  sought  to  content 
themselves  with  what  they  call  the  spirit  of  mofl- 
eration  and  balance, 

It  will  do  us  good  to  look  squarely  at  tho 
weakness  of  our  nature,  since  sin  has  so  af- 
fected us.  In  the  Old  Testament  we  repeatedly 
hear  about  God  being  our  strenyth,  but  in 
the  New  Testament,  where  the  fuller  unfolding 
of  Clod's  nature  appears  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  this 
strength  or  power  is  brought  out  into  prominence 
and  we  are  bidden  to  receive  it.  We  are  like 
clay  pails  tiiken  fresh  from  the  p<Uter's  wheel. 
It  is  frail,  moist  clay,  scarcely  capable  o/ holding 
its  own  weight  up  Into  the  form  which  the  potter 
has  wrought.  Now  let  us  try  to  fill  it  with  wa- 
ter. But  a  few  spoonfuls  have  been  poured  into 
it  until  the  pail  begins  to  run  over  the  floor  in 
a  muddy  stream.  Let  us  take  another  and  see  if 
we  may  fill  it  with  money.  W«  have  not 
placed  more  than  a  handful  into  it  until  it  is 
breaking  down  and  the  money  is  falling  out.  It 
can  not  hold  the  contents.  Its  fibre  is  not  strong 
enough.  Now  let  us  take  still  another  clay  pail 
fresh  from  the  potter's  wheel  and  place  it  in  a 


;.'4H 


OCT  OF  THK  rAJX-i'in: 


furnace  and  turn  on  the  hot  fire  until  it  becomes 
hard.    It  is  ready.    Talce  it  and  set  it  on  the  tabh^ 
and  fill  it  nov  to  the  brim  with  i)ieces  of  money;  it 
will  hold  every  one  of  them.   Fill  it  with  diamonds, 
i  t  will  hold  every  one  of  them.     Fill  it  with  water, 
it  will  hold  all  th"  water  we  can  put  into  it.  So  with 
the  inner  man.      1;  the  walls  of  the  inner  man  are 
not  strong  enoi..-'.    they  will  not  hold  the  Christ- 
life.     There  is  a  little  of   the  old  man,  a  little  of 
the  malign,  a  little  of  the  jealous,  of  the  vain,  of 
the  self-life,  and  the  walls  break  down.     But  let 
God's  Holy  Spirit  of  power  come  and  enter  into 
the   fibre   of   the  ini^*^-   man.    let    the   walls  be 
strengthened  with  tht  silent  strength  of  Gods 
love  until  we  are  toned  up  with  divine  vigor- 
then  let  the  Christ-life  come  in  and  we  can -hold 
it.     Ti:e  love  of  God  shall  abide  in  our  hearts,  the 
peace  of  God  shall  abide  within  us,  the  joy  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  our  strength,  and  the  hope  of  God 
shall  be  our  badge  of   honor  and    triumph,  and 
God  in  idl  things  shall  be  glorified;  we  shall  be  in 
deed  and  in  truth  partakers  of  the  divine  nature, 
strengthened  with  might,  strengthened  with  his 
spirit  in  the  inner  man. 

A  very  expressive  phrase  has  become  quite  com- 
mon, especially  at  camp  meetings  and  holiness 
meetings.  It  is  indeed  a  great  phrase.  Men  have 
contended  sharply  about  it,  and  thirsty  souls  have 
trembled  when  it  has  been  uttered.    This  is  it, 


., 


STJiENaTHENED  WITH  POWER 


■:i\i 


comes 
•  fable 
ney;  it 
nonds, 
water, 
^o  with 
an  are 
ChriPt- 
ittle  of 
'ain,  of 
But  lot 
ov  into 
alls  bo 
f  Gods 
k'igor — 
an  -hold 
rts.  the 
f  of  tbo 
of  God 
pb,  and 
ill  be  in 
nature, 
[vitb  bis 

ite  com- 
holiness 
en  bave 
ul<5  bavo 
is  is  it, 


"Receiving  the  power."  What  I  have  just  illus- 
trated by  the  clay  pail  being  empowered  to  hold 
its  contents,  I  believe  to  be  the  true  meaning  of 
this  great  phrase,  "Receiving  the  power." 

I  would  not  feel  called  upon  to  utter  cilkirnis 
against  displays  of  religious  influence  in  people's 
bodies,  when  men  have  been  known  to  swoon, 
when  others  have  leaped  to  their  feet  with  shouts 
of  great  joy.  and  others  with  shining  faces  have 
just  leaned  back  and  whispered  iWiv  praise  to  the 
bounteous  giver.  Some  of  these  scoi-.-s  have  been 
beautiful  beyond  description,  and  their  holy  influ- 
er  ;e  has  lingered  tenaciously  for  many  days,  espe- 
cially perhaps  such  of  them  as  have  marked  the 
death-hour  of  some  of  the  ^^lost  triumphant,  "We 
would  not,  we  dare  not,  criticise  or  speak  cai'e- 
lessly  in  the  presence  of  such  scones. 

But  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  seems  rather 
a  girding  than  a  collapse.  What  immediate  re- 
sults to  the  physical  frame  may  foUov/  this  largest, 
fullest,  richest,  manifestation  of  God's  self  to 
man  we  can  not  assert.  A  man  whose  eye  has 
been  fixed  upon  self,  if  not  lustfully  yet  longingly 
for  twenty  years  and  who  now,  suddenly  gets 
that  eyejilled  with  the  vision  of  the  pure,  gentle, 
benevolent  Spirit  may  easily  find  himself  incapa- 
ble of  longer  sitting  erect.  His  body  prone  on 
the  earth  may  declare  how  the  gaze  dazzled  and 
overpowered  him  for  the  time  being.     Or  one 


■ 


J 


-muKmrn 


250 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


11 1  t 


1 


whose  voice  has  been  mute  for  a  score  of  years, 
when  the  goodness  of  God  appeals  to  his  sense  of 
gratitude,  being  suddenly  ravished  with  the  vast- 
ness  of  that  goodness  to  him  and  others  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  lighting  up  the  display— surely  we 
can  conceive  how  such  a  one  might  be  heard  to 
shout  aloud  his  hallelujahs.     And  we  can  more 
than  conceive  how  these  things  might  occur,  for 
some  of  my  readers  bear  in  their  memories  the 
very  sweets  accompanying  such  experiences.   But 
notwithstanding  this,  that  phase  of  physical  in- 
fluence  upon  some  iemperaments  or  during  some 
occasions  is  not  whit  is  meant  essentially  by  re- 
ceiving the  2iower  ov  the  Holy  Spirit.     Its  essen- 
tial,  distinctive  meaning  is  rather  in    contrast 
with  these  things.  • 

1.  Jesus  returned  in  the  poroer  of  the  Spirit 
into  Galilee  and  thence  to  Nazareth,  where  he 
clearly  announces  his  programme.  "The  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because  he  hath  anointed 
me  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor;  he  hath  sent 
me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to  preach  deliver- 
ance to  the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to 
the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised; 
to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord." 
(Luke  iv:  18,  19  ) 

The  power  of  the  Spirit  appears  to  have  speed- 
ily brought  forth  a  calm,  vast,  thoughtful  an- 
nouncement from  prophecy. 


"*. 


STRENOTHEXED  WITH  POWER 


251 


years, 
nsc  cf 
>  vtist- 
by  the 
?ly  we 
ard   t<) 
I  more 
ur,  for 
les   the 
!S.    But 
ical  in- 
y  some 
by  ro- 
j  essen- 
ontrast 

)  Spirit 
here  he 
3  Spirit 
itiointed 
ftth  sent 
deliver- 
sight  to 
bruised ; 
Lord." 

'6  speed- 
itful  an- 


2.  "Ye  shall  receive  power  after  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you  and  ye  shall  be  wit- 
nesses unto  me."  That  power  would  then  gird  a 
man  to  be  a  clear,  distinct,  truthful  witness. 

3.  Jesus  surely  taught  this  truth  when  he  told 
his  people  not  to  be  anxious  when  arrested  and 
on  trial  what  they  should  answer,  nor  to  try  to 
plan  it,  for  the  Holy  Spirit  would  teach  them. 

4.  And  in  the  day  of  Pentecost,  the  Holy 
Spirit's  coming  seems  to  have  opened  as  a  special 
sign  the  intelligence  of  the  receivers  of  the  power, 
so  that  they  understood  foreign  languages,  thus 
in  a  trice  accomplishing  what  would  otherwise 
require  long  seasons  of  study. 

The  power  is  not  of  the  thunder-bolt  class. 
That  would  destroy  rather  than  gird  us.  It  is 
his  light  we  need.  Let  us  have  the  light  whether 
the  match  cracks  and  snaps  or  is  more  quiet. 
Let  us  not  forget  that  to  turn  our  attention  upon 
our  own  rapture  may  be  but  to  tempt  the  return- 
inj.  'f  the  old  enemy,  the  self-life.  Christ  is 
more  to  us  than  our  rapture,  and  the  strength, 
the  power,  is  more  than  our  ecstasy.  And  let  us 
remember  that  as  the  fire  silently  found  its 
way  into  the  clay  pail,  the  fire  of  God  might 
silently  find  its  way  into  the  walls  of  our  inner 
beings  while  Christ  was  preparing  the  furniture, 
in  order  that  he  might  dwell  there  forever  and 
forever.     It  might  come  like  the  frost  stealing 


1 


oil'  OF  THE  VAlS-Llb'E 


into  the  stones,  unheard  and  with  noiseless  foot- 
steps,   whilt   the  soul  is    sweetly,   silently  con- 
scious   "God  is  strengthening  me,  I  shall  over- 
come now;  1  feel  within  me  the  power  of  victory; 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  making  the   walls  of  my  inner 
man  capable  of  resisting  the  attacks  of  the  ene- 
my."    Many   people    would   fool  like   hastening 
away   to  some   silent   room  all    alone  to  talk  it 
over  with  the  Father,    saying  calmly.  "Oh,  the 
strength  of  God!     The  might  of  God!"  coming  out 
again  to  witness  by  word  and  life  to  the  precious 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  inner  man— the 
power  of  God. 

Have  you  received  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit? 
Can  you  go  out  of  the  most  enthusiastic  meeting 
without  shuddering  to  think,  "when  I  got. home 
it  will  be  so  still,  and  that  same  spirit  that  har- 
monizes with  me  will  tantalize  me?  "     Can  you 
go  home  and  say,  "  He  is  here,  that  Divine  Person 
with    whom    I   harmonize    is    here  ?"     Full    as- 
surance  of    faith,  full    assurance    of   hope,    full 
assurance  of  understanding— three  terms  which 
belong    to    the    Epistles    of    the    New    Testa- 
ment, are  they  your  very   own?     Oh,    that  he 
mJght  so  come  and  strengthen  us  anew  m  the 
inner  man,  that  constant  as  our  breathing  when 
we  are  awake  ?nd  in  toil,  or  when  we  are  asleep 
and  unconscious,  Christ  may  dwell  in  us.     And 
when  we  get  out  with  the  problems  that  are  com- 


i 


sTiiExarnKXED  niTH  po\vi:n 


-'53 


ing  upon  us  in  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  we  shall 
not  say,  ' '  I  was  so  happy  in  that  meeting,  but  I 
am  afraid  if  they  come  down  with  a  cold  problem 
and  ask  me  to  grapple  with  it  I  will  get  tired  and 
discouraged,  but  I  will  go  to  meeting  and  get 
happy  again."  Youcannot  live  this  way.  You  take 
the  level  of  the  sea  from  the  level,  not  from  the 
crest  of  the  wave.  Now,  if  the  power  of  God  is 
in  the  inner  man.  you  will  say,  "Let  that  problem 
come.  Christ  is  here  and  he  knows  how  to  grai-'ple 
with  it,  and  ho  viil  grapple  with  it.  and  his 
strength  in  the  Holy  Spirit  is  enough  to  keep 
me.  If  my  strength  fails,  if  the  body  die.  then  I 
will  only  have  my  headquarters  t>f  oporalion 
higher  up;  and  if  he  wants  my  body  to  stand  the 
strain  of  the  problem  for  fifty  or  sixty  years  with 
sweat  and  toil  and  patient  sacrifice,  then  he  will 
stay  right  here  and  see  me  through,  touching  me 
now  and  again  with  the  blessed  inspiratio)i  •  'the 
vigor  that  is  out  of  his  great  fund  of  str.«,-'oh." 
What  have  I  to  fear  or  choose  since  Christ  is  all 
the  world  to  me,  and  all  my  heart  is  love  ?  Oh, 
for  the  power,  the  strong,  steady,  divine 
might.  Oh,  for  merchants  to  stand  .behind  their 
counters  conscious  of  the  indwelling  Jesus,  and 
not  afraid  of  the  customer  who  may  come  nd 
try  to  induce  them  to  deceive.  Oh,  for  people 
ivho  have  no  disposition  to  tempt  the  devil,  but 
lot  him  come  evei'y  step  before  they  hoar  him. 


X 


2:a 


OUT  OF  THE  VAl^-LIFE 


conscious  that  Christ  will  master  him.  Oh,  for 
those  who  sit  beside  the  couches  of  the  sick,  with 
little  provision  of  victuals  in  the  pantry  and  with 
little  money  in  the  bank,  and  with  children  who 
need  protection  and  care  and  blessing,  quietly 
conscious  that  the  inner  man  is  fortified  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  of  Christ  dwelling  within,  while 
they  say,    "The  hours  are  not  too  long;  Jesus  is 

here."  „, 

I  have  heard  congregations  sing, ' '  Thou  my  ever- 
lasting portion,  more  than  life  or  friends  to  me,' 
almost  daily  for   three   years,  but  my  soul   has 
been  seeking  to  prove  the  language  mine  and  1 
have  proven  it.     O,  for  such  a  stability  that  a 
man   might  be   all  alone  in  Africa,  beyond  the 
reach  of  any  familiar  voice  or  hand,  while  within 
a  rod  of  where  he  stands  a  savage  might  appear 
with  a  spear  poised  directly  at  his  heart  and  a 
serpent  be  within  a  foot  of  his  heel,  yet  should  he 
consciously  say  in  the  might  of  God,  "  I  believe 
that  Jesus  is  with  me  all  the  time  and  I  am  more 
than   conquerer."     Such   an   one,  I  think,  would 
only  represent  what  it  is  to  be  -strengthened 

with  power." 

Another  beautiful  and  very  expressive  phrase 
has  become  current  in  our  day.  It  is  the 
u  power  for  service."  Many  very  rich  things 
are  being  said  about  the  need  of  the  anoint- 
ing of  the  Holy   Spirit  for   new  undertakings, 


1 


STREXOTHENED  WITH  POWER 


Oh,  for 
k,  with 
id  with 
en  who 
quietly 
by  the 
n,  while 
Jesus  is 

ny  ever- 

to  me," 

ioul   has 

0  and  1 
y  that  a 
rond  the 
le  within 
t  appear 
ivi  and  a 
should  he 

1  believe 
am  more 
ik,  would 
nffthened 

ve  phrase 
[t  is  the 
ch  things 
le  anoint- 
srtakings, 


bringing  out  very  clearly  the  much-needed 
truth  that  the  power  in  all  victory  is  of  God  and 
not  of  us.  And  how  very  blessedly  this  power 
for  service  finds  its  natural  place  in  the  great 
plan  as  we  remember  that  Chi'ist  is  the  iiahcelhr 
when  the  Holy  Spirit  strengthens  with  power  tho 
inner  man.  Now,  Christ  and  service  arc  two 
words  which  always  love  each  others  company. 
He  gives  himself  to  us.  He  is  servant  of  all.  Ho 
washes  the  feet  and  seeks  the  lost  sheej).  ' '  I  am 
among  you  as  one  that  serveth."  The  problem 
of  the  salvation  of  man  came  upon  his  heart  until 
it  broke  it.  Let  this  Christ  dwell  in  a  man  and 
how  he  will  .serve!  "Ye  have  the  mind  of 
Christ,"  has  been  translated,  "Ye  have  the  dis- 
position of  Christ."  "The  imitation  of  Chri.st " 
is  not  quite  correct  as  an  expression.  AVe  must 
have  the  Christ-life.  Then  wo  will  serve.  The 
idea  of  being  good  and  superior  by  excluding 
the  great  needy  multitudes  about  us  is  not  the 
Christian  idea.  Holiness  is  sacrifice;  and  sacri- 
fice since  Christ  came  has  but  one  altar,  and  that 
altar  is  httman  need.  The  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  given  to  render  it  pcssible  for  us  to 
show  forth  kindness  and  gentleness  and  endur- 
ance when  all  others  fail;  to  st'idy,  to  toil,  to 
give,  to  die,  that  the  world  may  have  its  sin  loved 
out  of  it.  Thank  God,  faith  l^rings  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  he  becomes  the  "we  can  '  of  the  saeri- 


2M 


OUT  OF  THE  VAia-UFF, 


ficial  life.  How  evident  this  is  if  Christ  dwells 
in  the  heart  by  faith  and  the  walls  of  the  Inner 
man  are  strong  enough  to  hold  him!    Won't  we 

SGX'VC  ? 

Servant  of  all,  come  and  serve  through  us. 
r>.u- hands  for  thee  to  use  to  dispense  to  those 
who  j.ced.  Our  feet  for  thee  to  use  to  send  us 
on  errands  of  mercy.  Our  lips  for  thee  to  use  to 
speak  messages  for  thee.  Our  all  for  thee  to  use 
in  a  service  Calvary-like  and  victorious. 


_J- 


dwells 
e  inner 
on't  we 

Llgh    U9. 

;o  those 
send  us 
,0  use  to 
!e  to  use 


THE  UNFAILING  GRACE. 


i, 


"All  tho  other  matchless  attributes  of  Jehovah  are 
Bhadowod  bv  tho  bnauty  of  his  hollnoss  and  love." 

Rkv.  C,  M.  Cobebn.  D.D. 

•'37ic  love  of  Oitdhuth  bcmi^hcd  uhrmd  tn  our  hcuilit 
Ummh  the  Holy  Ghost  whieh  wax  ./(.v..  in,to  i.«."- 
Romans  v:5.  (R.  V.) 

"  My  honored  friend  and  brother:    For  once  hearken 
to  a  child  who  Is  willing  to  wash  your  foot.     1  beseech 
you,  by  tho  inorcles  of  tio'l  In  Chrl.st  Jesus  our  Lord,  if 
you  would  have  my  loveconllrmed  toward  you,  write  no 
more  to  me  about  the  misrepresentations  wherein  we 
differ.     Why  should  we  dispute  when  there  Is  no  posal- 
blllty  of  convincing?    Will  It  not  In  the  end  destroy 
brotherly  love,  and  Insensibly  talc(^  from  us  that  union 
and  sweetness  of  soul  which  I  pray  (Jod  may  always 
subsist  between  us?    How  glad  would  the  enemies  o( 
tho  Lord  be  to  see  us  divided.     How  would  the  cause  of 
the  common  Master  every  way  suffer  by  raising  disputes 
about  particular  points  of  doctrine.     Honored  sir,  let  U8 
offer  salvation  freely  to  all  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and 
whatever  light  God  has  given  us  let  us  freely  communi- 
cate to  others.-  WiiiTEriELD  to  Wesley. 

"God's  love  Is  put  within  us  as  an  object  of  our 
thought,  and  as  a  power  moulding  our  emotions,  pur- 
poses, actions."  Joseph  Agar  Beet. 


ovah  are 
c." 
».  D.D. 

IKC   hCUltH 
I/O     ««."— 


n  hearken 
1  bosoocb 
r  Lord,  If 
,  write  no 
heroin  we 
»  no  posai- 
id  destroy 
,hat  union 
ay  always 
>nomies  o( 
IP  cause  of 
\g  disputes 
I  sir,  let  us 
Jesus,  and 
'  com  muni- 
Wesley. 

ject  of  our 
otions,  pur- 
A.B  Beet. 


THE  UNFAILING  GRACE. 

WHAT  is  that  power  which  never  disappoints 
the  most  radiant  hope  of  the  sanitified — that 
power  which  God  wields  in  his  prolonged  Calvary- 
effort,  and  which  sent  forth  the  only  begotten  Son, 
the  power  of  powers  ?  It  is  Love.  And  you  and 
I  are  living  in  the  day  when,  by  i'' j  Holy  Spirit, 
the  love  of  God  (not  less  than  this)  is  shed 
abroad  in  our  hearts,  and  it  is  the  availing 
motive-power  of  tlie  victorious  life  to  which  we 
are  all  invited. 

There  is  a  region  of  experience  where  the  com- 
mon difficulties  of  life  which  tempt  and  dis- 
courage people  do  become  the  very  instruments 
which  exalt  life  into  richer  conditions.  Here  in 
this  region  difficulties  which  otherwise  appear 
like  mountains  are  now  feeble  little  mole  hills, 
and  the  ambitions  and  competitions  that  are  so 
common  to  human  life  appear  bald  and  worthless. 
When  pride  has  lost  its  grip  upon  the  being,  and 
love,  pure  love  sways  the  ransomed  soul,  the  child- 
like spirit  sweetens  all  the  atmosphere  of  the  life, 
and  God's  care  for  us  is  seen  to  be  just  what  His 
Woi'd  calls  it,  "  the  riches  of  grace. " 


Wi) 


OUT  OF  THE  CAINLIFE 


5! 


i!  :■ 


Soul,  do  you  know  tliis  rcj^ion  of  oxiwrieuoe  ? 
\»  tlio  love  of  CJod  fflorifyiiifi  your  Hfe  ?  Have 
you  got  it  ?  Iloltor  he  »  hissing  and  a  by-word 
In  the  world,  better  have  your  provision  of 
potatoes  and  salt,  better  have  your  nleeves  out  at 
the  elbows,  but  get  it,  get  it. 

If  we  were  surrounded  to-day  l>y  pyramids  of 
precious   stones— diamonds,    emeralds   and    sap- 
phires, we  might  say  to  them,  •  Preeious  stones, 
there  la  a  region  where  things  as  beautiful  as  you 
are  grow  quickly  in  the  sunlight  and  send  forth 
abundance  of  sweet  perf\une,  and  1  hey  are  placed 
upon  nuirriage  altars,  and  upon  the  coftins  of  the 
dead."     Then  the  precious  stones  might  say  to 
us,  "  How  can  these  thin-ts  l)e  ?"     Andwemiglit 
answer  them,  "Well,  precious  stones,  youjiestle 
yourselves  down  by  the  root  of  some  orange  tree 
or  magnolia  oi  rose-bush  and  allow  yourselves  to 
be  taken  up   by  the  growth   of  these  trees   or 
bushes,  then  some  bright  summer  day  you  will 
live  in  the  region  of  rapid  growth  and  sweet  per- 
fume and  flower,  but  precious  stones  you  must 
die  to  stone-hood  before  you  can  live  in  flower, 
hood.     So  I  say  to  you  to-day,  there  is  a  region 
where  God  and  the  soul  are  in  sweetest  fellow- 
ship, an   uncomplaining,    congenial,   blessed    re- 
gion of  life  free  from  vexatious  care,  from  hate, 
from  anger  and  from  slavish  fear;  that  region  is 
the  love  of  God,  but  you  must  die  to  self-hood  be- 


THE  I'XFAII.lSlI  uriAVK 


m 


«rlcnce  ? 
?  HavP! 
by -word 
anion  of 
t»s  out  at 

am  ids  of 
nd    sup- 
s  stones, 
il  us  you 
nd  forth 
•c  placed 
lis  of  the 
t  say  to 
vo  might 
ou  jipstlc 
mgc  troe 
selves  to 
trees   or 
you  will 
veet  per- 
ou  must 
a  flower, 
a  region 
it  fellow- 
?s8ed    re- 
rom  hate, 
region  is 
-hood  be- 


before  you  can  know  this  conquering  grace  or  live 
fhis  blessed  life. 

Upon  love  to  (jod  and  nmn  hung  all  tlic  law  and 
the  |)roplietri.  >  T,ove  is  tlic  fuKillingitf  tlielaw." 
••  Ke  that  loveth  another  liatii  fullilled  the  law;" 
and  ••(■od  i.s  love.  '  Ceaseless,  deatliless,  holy 
grace  come  into  our  i.  rts  to-day.  Holy  Spirit, 
shining  unddour  tribulations  and  our  sliame,  slied 
it  al)road,  shed  it  abroad  to-day. 

It  will  make  no  little  ditVereiice  in  our  under- 
standing i.f  tliis  sul)j(>(t,  as  well  as  in  the  wealth 
or  poverty  of  our  characters,  that  \>e  liave  a  cor. 
rect  knowledge  of  what  this  love  really  is. 

1.  It  is  not  a  kindlier  way.  No  mere  adding  on 
of  acts  more  gentle  or  more  gonial  can  represent 
tliis  wonderful  grace,  nor  if  the  best  of  tliem  conld 
be  grounded  in  a  habit  would  they  truly  lepresent 
what  is  here  meant,  nor  is  the  significance  like 
that  of  a  person  dwelling  in  a  house,  himself  sep- 
arate from  the  })lace  where  he  lives.  IJutit  is  like 
the  sap  in  the  tree  or  tlu-  tides  in  the  ocean  or  the 
light  breathing  out  its  purity  in  the  opening  and 
rragrant  flower.  Love,  love!  Have  you  got  it? 
Have  you  got  it? 

2.  It  is  not  what  we  commonly  understand  by 
natural  love,  such  as  exists  between  husband  and 
wife,  parents  and  children,  brothers  and  sisters. 
Surely  if  it  were  the  purest  type  of  this  kind  of 
iwve  it  would  be  well   worth   its   cost    to  have   it 


r 


m 

I; 


!^ 


( 


m 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


constantly  abiding  within  us.  Who  dare  but 
commend  pure,  natural  love  ?  It  has  kept  bor  Us 
of  kindly  interest  unbroken  for  scores  of  years  in 
the  hearts  of  those  who  have  neither  seen  nor 
heai'd  fi-om  each  other.  It  has  kept  the  heart  of 
the  mother  quiet  and  patient  and  cheerful  during 
the  long  hours  of  night  watching  while  all  about 
her,  except  the  sick  child,  were  quiet  in  sleep.  It 
has  bridged  the  ocean  for  lovers,  it  has  made  dis- 
tance appear  as  nothing,  it  has  made  toil  and 
endurance  as  light  as  air,  it  has  caused  the  very 
fountain  of  the  deeps  of  the  being  to  break  forth 
with  the  enthusiasm  of  regard  upon  the  death  of 
some  darling  of  the  household.  Sweet  human 
lovf,  thou  hast  stitched  the  fumily  life  together 
and  knitted  the  household  into  oneness! 

Portions  of  this  love  are  manifest  in  the  heart 
of  the  heathen  and  the  heart  of  the  Christian 
alike.  It  burns  high  on  the  altars  of  child- 
hood devotion,  its  fires  will  live  when  old  age 
has  brought  the  pilgrim  to  second  childhood, 
and  like  the  fires  upon  the  altar  in  the  ancient 
temple,  it  never  goes  out  during  the  days  that 
intervene.  Yet  this  kind  of  love,  though  so 
great,  is  evidently  not  the  love  which  now 
concerns  us.  There  is  a  higher  love  and  there 
is  a  higher  life.  As  the  life  of  the  lily  is  higher 
than  that  of  the  stone,  the  life  of  the  kitten 
is  higher  than  that  of  the  lily,  the  life  of  the 


THE  UNFAILINO  GRACE 


Iftil 


Jare  but 
ipt  bor  us 

years  in 
seen  nor 

heart  of 
ul  during 
all  about 
sleep.  It 
made  dis- 

toil  and 
the  very 
■eak  forth 
?  death  of 
^t   human 

together 

the  heart 
Christian 

of  child- 
1  old  age 
jhildhood, 
e  ancient 
days  that 
hough  so 
hich  now 
and  there 

is  higher 
he  kitten 
ife  of  the 


child  is  higher  than  that  of  the  kitten,  and  the 
life  of  God,  the  life  he  imparts  to  the  waiting 
soul,  the  "Zoen"  in  the  New  Testament,  is 
higher  than  the  human  life  in  sin,  so  the  love 
of  God  is  higher  than  human  love. 

3.     It  is  the  love  of  God.     Josus  said  to  the 
Jews,    ' '  Ye  have  not  the   love   of   God   abiding 
in  you."     Without  doubt  these  very  men  loved 
their  wives,  and  these  very  women  lovod  their 
children  and    these  sons   and    daughters    loved 
each  other;  but  not  with  this  higher  love  which 
Christ  came  to  give  us.     Again  he  said,    'If  any 
man  love  the  world  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not 
in  him,"  H  is  very  evident  that  he  meant  to  show 
that  there  is  a  love  which  is  not  like  this  other  love 
—the  love  of  the  Father,     The  love  of  the  world  is 
born  of  a  natural  life,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  born 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  a  new  life.     It  is  of  God's  own 
life.     It  is  the  very   same  love  that   first  con- 
ceived the  creation  of  tha  power  of  human  love. 
It  is  the  very  same  love  that  originated  Calvary, 
not    like    it,    not    explaining   it,  but    the   very 
same  love.      It   is   the   taking   of   sonewhat   of 
the  dynamo  of  God's   perfect    bein^j,    and   the 
imparting  of  this  electric  blessedness  to  our  im- 
perfect  beings  until  we  are  made  "partakers  of 
the    divine    nature."      He    infinite,    we    finite. 
The    very   same  light   which   fills  this  room  is 
the  light  which  fills   the  air  about  us,  and  the 


Mm 
If 


•I'i'ff 


864 


OUT  OF  THE  VAIX-LIFE 


.      I 


little  leaf  dropping  from  the  tree  obeys  the  very 
same  law  as  the  earth  in  its  motion,  and  the 
worlds  in  theii-s.  So  the  very  same  love  which 
is  in  Gcd's  heart  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by 
the  Holy  S-irit  which  is  given  unto  us.     God's 

love. 

Have-you  got  it  ?  Have  you  got  it  ?  If  not, 
be  a  hissing  and  a  by-word  in  the  world,  eat  po- 
t:.toes  and  salt,  let  your  sleeves  be  out  at  the 
elbows,  but  get  it,  get  it. 

Did  you  ever  receive  a  welcome  surprise,  so 
great  and  so  welcome  that  you  sat   down   and 
thought  it  over  ?     What  joy  dwelt  within  you  as 
you  went  about  your  toils  to  find  it  flowing  in 
perfect  floods  over  the  mind  and  over  the  feehngs 
until  this  ore  surprise  was  under  and  over  and 
through  and  through  everything  you  did  that  day. 
This  is  the  way  the  love  of  God  finds  its  welcome 
to     the    thoroughly     surrendered    heart.     The 
stranger  becomes  a  friend,  the  far-off  grace  be- 
comes the  very  thrill  of  our  lives,  under,  above 
and  through  all  we  do  or  say  or  think.     Yet  we 
are  so  insensible  to  it.    Holy  Spirit,  breathe  upon 
us  until  we  awaken  and   welcome  thy  dawn  of 
blessedness  this  hour. 

We  seem  so  often  to  be  like  one  who  might 
stand  upon  the  ridge  of  the  roof  of  a  building 
and  look  it  over;  he  would  say  to  himself,  this 
building  is  so  long  and  so  wide  and  so  high.  This 


the  very 

and  the 

ive  which 

tiearts  by 

s.     God's 

?  If  not, 
d,  eat  po- 
lut  at  the 

rprise,  so 
down   and 
hin  you  as 
flowing  in 
he  feelings 
[  over  and 
d  that  day. 
ts  welcome 
eart.     The 
f  grace  be- 
ider,  above 
c.     Yet  we 
[•eathe  upon 
liy  dawn  of 

who  might 
f  a  building 
iiimself,  this 
ihigh.  This 


roof  is  made   of   such  and  such  material  and  is 
about  so  old.    But  let  the  man  come  down   from 
the  ridge  of  the  roof  and  enter  into  the  building, 
let  him  sit  amid  the  multitude  where  the  worship 
is  all  heart-worship,  let  him  hear  the  organ  and 
the  singers  and  the  speakers,  and  let  the  great 
power  of  salvation  enter  into  the  assembly  until 
men  are  bora  again  then  and  there.     Norv  the 
building  is  a  new  building,  he  is    within  it,  he 
looks  high  to  the  ceiling,  he  looks  out  through 
the  windows  to  the  light,  he  has  fellowship  with 
the  worshipers,  his  soul  has  proven  that  Christ 
was  thei'e,  and  to  him  the  building  is  another 
place,  he  is  within  it  and  the  inspiration  of  the 
occasion  is  within  him.     Thus  we  look  upon  Gods 
love.     We  are  on  the  outside  of  it  Avhere  there 
are  no  doors  to  enter,  exalted  in  the  thought  of 
our  own  purpose  or  of  our  own  love,  but  let  us 
come  to  the  open  doors  and  enter  in  to  gather  the 
inspiration  that  there  awaits  us  until  we  do  know 
the  love  of  God.  Behold  these  windows,  how  they 
look  far  out  to  the   last   struggling  sinner  who 
piteously  lifts  a  hand  for  help.     See  the  height  of 
these  ceilings,  high  as  the  throne  of  God.    Yon- 
der they  glitter  in  the  wealth   through  the  haze 
of  our  finite  perceptions.     But  O,  feel  the  fellow- 
ship, the  br<^ath,  the  life.     It  sweetens  our  prefer- 
ences, it  tones  our  convictions,  it  hallows  every- 
thing but  sin. 


i->-jvts4n«r^s"tU^HPW 


266 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


"  For  the  love  of  God  is  broader  than  the  measure  of 

man's  mind, 
And  the  heart  of  the  Eternal  is  most  wonderfully 

kind." 

In  the  presence  of  this  j^race,  ambitions  which 
otherwise  seem  so  necessary  lose  their  signifi- 
cance and  arc  replaced  by  one  ambition,  that  is, 
throuyli  love  to  serve.      No  man  can  know  this 
blessed  sway  who  is  not  willing  to  be  poor.    Just 
as  long  as  you  can  not  say  that  you  would  i-ather 
be  poor  and  hungry  with  this  grace,  than  be  rich 
and  well  fed  without  it,  just  so  long  it  can  .\<A  be 
yours.     Neither  can  any  man  prove  thi'i  y,ra['e 
who  is  not  willing  to  be  despised,   for  it  wfis  this 
very  grace  which  caused  God  to  give  bis  "  only 
begotten  Son  "  to  shame  and  slander  and  death. 
Neither  can  any  man  have  this  grace  v/fto  is  not 
willing  to  suffer  pain.     We  o  •   t,oi  s.\j     "I  am 
strong  and  have  a  healthy  bod,^ ,  tharefo  v  I  can 
undertake  greot  deeds  and  God  would  be  glad  to 
use  me,  o**  i  iiav.'  money  and  am  forehanded  anil 
am  acknc'i  Kxhiii    is  great  because  of  this,  or  I 
have  win.some  ways  and  a  well  developed  social 
nature  and  I  can  win  friends  and  make  the  cause 
succeed."      Wait   a   moment.      Is   love   greater 
than   wealth?     Is    love    greater    than   physical 
strength?     Is  love  greater  than  social    power? 
There  are  thousands  of  forgotten  heathens  of  an- 
cient civilization  which  had  ai?  of  these  as  an  in- 


#«*• 


•asure  of 
iderfully 

s  which 
signifi- 
that  is, 
low  this 
)r.    Just 
d  I'ather 
1  be  rich 
n  .;ot  be 
hi  ^race 
wfis  this 
is  ' '  only 
d  death. 
u)  is  not 
' '  I  an\ 
v  I  can 
3  glad  to 
nded  am! 
bhis,  or  I 
led  social 
;he  cause 
!   greater 
physical 
I    power? 
3ns  of  an- 
as an  iu* 


THE  UNFAILlSa  ORAVE 


aoT 


spiration,  but  the  Christian  religion  brings  us 
Christ,  and  the  love  he  brings  is  first  and  last  the 
vei-y  atmosphere  of  a  holy  life.  Depend  upon  your 
money  and  you  may  lose  it.  Depend  upon  your 
physical  strength,  and  when  it  is  gone  where  are 
you?  Depend  upon  your  friendships  and  they 
will  betray  you,  l-.-o  be  filled  with  the  love  of 
God,  then  his  wealth  is  yours,  and  he  who  uses 
the  weak  things  will  cause  you  even  to  bless 
your  enemies. 

Get  che  idea  that  this  is  GorVs  love.  How  it 
gets  into  your  natures  I  can  not  tell,  nor  can  we 
tell  how  life  gets  into  the  tree,  or  how  the  light 
gets  into  the  flower,  or  how  the  fire  gets  into  the 
iron,  or  how  the  frost  gets  into  the  stone,  or  the 
attraction  into  the  magnet.  But  God  will  im- 
part himself  to  the  soul  which  will  give  itself  up 
exclusively  to  him. 

This  is  not  only  appai'ciil  concerning  God's 
love;  the  peace  the  Christian  receives  is  the  peace 
of  God,  the  joy  he  receives  is  the  joy  of  the  Lord, 
and  where  Jesus  said  "Have  faith  in  God"  it 
may  well  be  translated  "  Have  you  faith  of  God.' 
(Mark  xi:22.)  Of  course  they  all  .become  ours 
when  we  receive  them  and  use  them.  But  the 
Father  and  the  child  are  to  shai-e  the  same  nature; 
born  from  p.tjve,  we  get  the  nature  which  is  from 
above.  "  Our  citizenship  is  in  heaven"  has  been 
translated  by  some  scholars,  ' '  Our  polity  begins 


,^ 


iJi 


2r.rt 


Ol'T  OF  THE  CAIS-LIFE 


ill  the  heavens."  Paul  says  Christ  is  the  h.'ud 
and  wc  arc  the  body,  and  Jesus  himself  said  that  he 
would  be  in  us  and  we  would  be  in  him  as  he  is  in 
the  Father  and  the  Father  in  him,  while  here 
again  in  the  Epistle  to  the  llomans,  Paul  says, 
«'  The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  us  "—this 
treasure  is  in  earthen  vessels. 

4.     And  while  this  love  is  God's  love  imparted 
to  our  finite  natures  its  true  expression  is  evi- 
dent   in   the   service  to  our  fellow-man.      "Let 
him    that  saith  he  loveth  God  love  his  brother 
also;  love   worketh  no  ill  to  a  neighbor."     The 
word  which  is  rendered  "love"  in  this  connec- 
tion is  the  word  Agapk,  and  it  is  the  very  same 
'  ord  which  is   rendered  love  in  John  iii:16.     It 
means  the  love    of    intense  good  will.     On  the 
other  hand,  when  God  speaks  of  his  love  to  nis 
children  the  word  used  is  Phileo,  and  it  means 
the  love  of  positive  delight.     The  love  here  re- 
ferred to  then  having  filled  our  hearts  gives  us  to 
have    the  spirit   of    intense    good-will    towards 
humanity.     It  will  be  so  in  harmony  with  the 
song  of  the  angels  and  the  advent  of  Jesus  that  it 
will  produce  the  very  opposite  of  strife  and  envy 
and    jealousy     and    malice    and     revenge,     all 
of     which    characterize    the   Cain-life.     Said    a 
little  girl  down  in  Illinois  last  Christmas  morning, 
whose  mother  had  corrected  her  in  a  firm  tone  of 


THE  UM\\.ILL\(i  (IUA(  F, 


•M\\ 


lie  lioud 
I  that  he 
he  is  in 
lie  here 
ul  says, 
earts  by 
i  "—this 

mparted 

1  is  cvi- 

' '  Let 

brother 

p."     The 

coiiuec- 
cry  same 
i;lG.      It 

On  the 

'e  to  11  is 

it  means 

?  here  lo- 

ives  us  to 

towards 
with  the 
3US  that  it 
and  envy 
?nge,    all 

Said  a 
morning, 
•m  tone  of 


voice,    "  Mainina,    we  must  not  scold    to-day,  you 
know,  for  lliis  is  Jesus'  birtliday. '"    The  little  child 
vcco<rni/',od  that  a  right   estimate  of  colcbruting 
Christ's  advent   would  produce  a  loving  harmony 
in  the  family,  and  she  was  right.     The  love  of  God 
slied  abroad  in  our  hearts  will  change  the  very 
aspect  of  humanity  to  us.     When  Jesus  came  near 
to  his  crucifixion  hour  he  said  to  his  disciples,   "A 
new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  that  ye  love 
one  another  as  I  have  loved  you,"     And  when  we 
remember  that  on  three  different  occasions  these 
men  had  disputed  M'itli  each   other  who  of  them 
should  be  greatest,  we  can   plainly  see  that  the 
love  which  Jesus  had  for  them  is  altogether  su- 
perior in  type  to  that  love  which  they  h;id   yet 
known.     His  love  made  him  lay  down  his   life  in 
sacrifice  for  them,  but  they  never  understood  the 
deeper  meaning  of  sacrifice   until   they  received 
the  later  anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  Pente- 
cost; then,  they  began  their  work  of  distributing 
goods  among  those  who  had  need  so  that   every 
man  was  supplied,  then  they  returned  counting  it 
all  joy  that  they  were   reckoned  worthy  to  suffer 
for  Christ's  sake.     It   is    the   Christly   love   we 
need.     The  Calvary-love  will  not  count  the  cost ;  it 
has  its  eye  on  the  needy  one  rather  than  upon  it- 
self or  upon  visible  results. 

Now  what  about  that  enemy  of  yours?     What 
are  you  to  do  with  him?     Does  some  one  say    'Am 


/      ^ 


ixrw 


870 


OL'T  OV  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


I  to  call  wrong  right,  and  just  letevcrythinfj;  pass 
on  as  if  all  things  wore  common?"  No,  my  friend, 
you  are  not  to  call  wrong  right,  but  you  arc  to  sock 
to  get  the  wrong  out  of  every  single  life  you  can  in- 
fluence in  this  wide  world,  and  you  arc  to  sock 
to  get  the  right  into  every  individuul's  life  you 
can    affect.      That   enemy,   his    awful    tln-aldom 
must  arouse  your  pity  if  you  love  him.     If  you 
love  him  you  will  pray  for  him,  you  will  study  to 
help  him,   you  will  lay  down  your  life  for  him. 
You  have  no  right  to  imprison  lum  excepang  for 
the  sake  of  protecting  the  lives  of  others  and  re- 
forming   his    own    nature.     He    is    ungrateful. 
But  you  arc  not  serving  him,    you  arc  serving 
the  Lord.     Christ  died  for   a  race  of   in  grates. 
"If  he  lay    down  his  life  for  us    we   ought   to 
lay  down  our  lives  for  the  brethren." 

Recently  a  church  member  called  upon  one  of  the 
leading  pastors  of  this  country.  He  came  to  con- 
sult him  about  the  advisability  of  securing  a  di- 
vorce from  his  wife.  He  began  to  tell  about  the 
sad  story  of  her  faults,  until  the  pas',  or  checked 
his  conversation  by  saying,  "Brother,  can 
you  tell  me  one  good  thing  about  your  wife  ?  " 
The  man  replied,  '-Well,  she  is  a  very  good 
cook."  "Now,"  said  the  pastor,  "can  you  tell 
me  another  giod  thing?  Docs  she  stay  at 
home?"  "Yes,  she  has  always  been  ^  very 
good   to  stay   at  home."       "Can   you   tell   me 


Ijpp '>(^ri,5.->Sj»-ySE» 


THE  VA\FArL[I\^a  GRACE 


271 


Ihin^  pass 
my  friend, 
are  to  seek 
you  liiii  iu- 
I'c  to  sock 
I's  life  you 
thi'iildom 
m.  If  you 
ill  study  to 
[e  for  him. 
cop  ling  for 
lors  and  rc- 
uncrateful. 
xrc  serving 
f  in  grates. 
5   puglit   to 

»n  one  of  tho 
•ame  to  con- 
curing  a  di- 
1  about  the 
',or  checked 
other,  can 
•our  wife  ?  " 

very  good 
•an  you  tell 
iho    stay  at 

been  7.  very 
^ou    tell   me 


unylhing  else  good  about  your  wife?"  said  the 
paslor.  -'Is  she  kind  to  her  cliildren  ?  " 
'•Yes,  generally,"  suid  the  man.  "Well,"  said 
the  pastor,  "I  think  she  has  a  good  many  re- 
d(>eming  qualities.  Let  us  pray  together  that 
the  Lord  may  help  you  to  be  patient,"  After 
prayer  they  separated.  My  friend,  tho 
pastor,  sent  for  the  wife  to  com(>  and 
see  him.  He  told  her  he  had  heard 
about  tho  difficulty  and  he  wished  to 
help  her.  The  woman  began  inunediately 
to  disclose  the  faults  of  her  husband,  when 
the  pastor  pursued  the  same  plan  with  her  whitth 
he  had  followed  in  conversation  with  her  husband, 
and  the  first  question  was,  "Can  you  tell  me  any- 
thing good  about  your  husband  ?  "  She  replied: 
"Well,  he  is  a  good  jn-ovider. "  The  second  and 
third  questions  were  asked  and  answered  favor- 
ably, and  the  wife  was  advised  to  go  home  and 
study  patience,  after  the  pastor  had  prayed  with 
her.  Then  the  pastor  called  at  the  home  when 
the  husband  and  wife  were  both  in  and  the  chil- 
dren were  absent.  He  paved  the  way  by  telling 
the  unhappy  couple  that  he  had  lu?ard  of  their 
trouble,  and  that  he  had  come  as  a  Christian  to 
help  them  settle  it.  "Now,"  said  he  to  the  hus- 
band, "I  want  you  here,  in  the  presence  of  your 
wife,  to  tell  all  the  good  things  about  her  you  can 
thmk  of. "     He  began  to  tell,  and  with  the  pastor's 


or"/'  ut'  Tin:  caislifi: 


iihsistanco,   through  lilUo  intfrjcctiDiis   of  (luos- 
tions,  ho  tola  a  long  story.   ■•TIumk' siiidlhi- piis- 
toi-to  the  w'xUf,  "1  waul  you  to  tell  all  tlu'  good 
things  you  can  about  your  husband,"  and  the  wifo 
told  a'.i  interesting  and  long  story.     The  pastor, 
gifted   with   no   little  grace   and   wisdom,    said: 
"  Now,  it  api)fars  to  nie  that  there  are  many  peo- 
ple in  this  world  who  live  together  in  compara- 
tive peace,  wlvo  can  not  say  so  many  good  things 
about  each  other  as  yv      an,  and  I   want  you  to 
promise  me  that  for  at  least  one  year,  no  matter 
what  ciunimstances  occur  in  your  home,  you  will 
not  speak  of  any  of  the  bad  things  in  each  other's 
characters,  and  you  will  try  not  to  think  of  them." 
The  pastor  told  mc  that  some  months  had  elapsed 
and  that  he  had  asked  the  couple  for-positivo 
reports,  to  find  that  they  were  living  very  agree- 
ably, and  he  said  their  faces  showed   that   it  was 
so.     But  we  saw  that  very  woman  convicted  of 
the  need  of  divine  love  in  her  heart.     We  saw 
her  weep  and  pray  and  plead,  and  we  saw  her 
profess  to  receive  it.     Who  of  us  does  not  know 
that  if  that  woman  had  the  love  of  Christ  in  her 
heart,  and  that  man  had  the  love  of  Christ  in  his 
heart,  they  would  live  In  harmony  and  blessed- 
ness, and  if  either  of  them  only  had  the  love  of 
Christ  in   the  heart,    that  one   would  be  gentl(>. 
and  forgiving  with  the  other,  and  quite  probably, 
too,  win  the  other  from  self  unto  Christ,  through 


Titt:  uxvAii.tso  nnACK 


1     of    (|UOS- 

i(l  Ihf  piis- 
I  [\iv  good 
1(1  the  wife 
'he  pastor, 
loin,    said: 
many  poo- 
i  coinpara- 
ood  thin|jfs 
tint  you  to 
no  matter 
10,  you  will 
ach  other's 
kof  them." 
lad  elapsed 
or- positive 
^•ery  agroe- 
liat   it  was 
Dnvioted  of 
.     We  saw 
,ve  saw  her 
;  not  know 
hrist  in  her 
'hrist  in  his 
nd   blesscd- 
the  love  of 
1  be  gentle 
te  probably, 
ist,  through 


the  shining  of  Huit  same  love.  I'aul  says,  in  his 
great  chapter  to  the  Corinthians,  that  this  love 
ncvor  faileth. 

This    lovo    is    hero'ie.     Perhaps    wc    may    as 
well    admit    that    as    a    distinct    characteristic 
the   '"'•■       '   valor  does  not  exist  in  our  day. 
Bu     -s  lamentation,  "The  day  of  chivalry  has 
gone,"   would    fit  us  to-day.     We  are  a  race  of 
coward.s.     We   are   asking    -Will    it   pay,    and 
is  it  an  easy  way?  "     And  we  always  will  be  a 
race  of  cowards  until  we  re'  cive  a  fullness  of  God's 
love.     Likely  one   reason  for   this   condition  of 
affairs  is  in  the  fact  that  man  has  invented  so  many 
machines  for  defense  and  they  are  so  well  adapted 
to  their  intended  work  that  we  have  come  to  hide 
behind  the  machine  instead  of   trusting   in  God. 
Idolatry  does  not   really   need  an  idol  made  into 
peculiar  figures.     But  we  are  told   the   fathers 
were  stronger  physically  than   we  are,   and  we 
have   not    the   power   of    endurance   to   venture 
far   in   the   conflict.     There  we   are   again  call- 
ing  in   our  defense  a  human  'xxly.      Scores  of 
suffering    bed-ridden    invalids,     who    have    not 
walked  a  yard  for  twenty  years  and   who  suf- 
fer indescribable  pain,  shame  any  such  suggestion 
away  from  us.     No,  we  need  the  love  of  God  in 
our  hearts.     We  must  have  a  baptism  of  divine 
love.   Not  a  thing,  not  a  single  thing,  must  inter- 
vene  between  us  and  the  Holy  One,  not  a  mo- 


.-f? 


I 


t 


w 


/v.. 


.o.A^>T.^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


y'o 


^     4^ 


{/ 


A 


*;.  ■%" 


/. 


0"^ 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


1^  IM    12.2 

«:  lio   mil  2.0 


1.8 


U    i  1.6 


—     6" 


v: 


e 


/a 


/ 


om 


W/ 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


'^ 


m 


\ 


Is 


\\ 


^<b 


V 


>\>. 


6^ 


^# 


4> 


m 


/ 


J 


p 


^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  IVIicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


MHH 


nielli's  niiisiiij^  must  bf>  givoi)  lo  nur  cnwa  (lic(> 
and  idolalry.  liovo  is  the  vory  opposite  of  id(<l- 
atry,  for  God  is  love.  Men  can  be  loved  into  hero- 
ism. The  principle  is  strong  enough  and  the  sup- 
ply is  large  enough.  Prices  must  not  be  reckoned 
here.  Let  us  have  it,  let  us  have  it.  Fresh  from 
his  own  heart!  Then  men's  hearts  shall  be  girded 
in  the  storm,  and  the  witness,  the  very  miracle 
cf  the  Divine,  shall  appear  to  infidel  and  heathen 
alike,  for  be  sure  that  by  this  shall  all  men  know 
that  we  arc  Christ's  disciples  when  we  have  love 
one  to  another. 

Infidels  who  can  endure  eloquence  and  oi'gani- 
zation,  singing  and  praying,  philosophy  and  zeal, 
exhortation,  argument  and  tears  will  be  won  by 
this  power  of  powers,  the  love  of  God. 

Indians  in  their  sun  dances  will  lacerate  their 
bodies  until  pools  of  their  blood  soak  into  the 
earth  around  them.  They  will  dance  almost  in- 
cessantly from  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  ten 
at  night  fcr  four  days  or  more  in  some  of  their 
religious  observances,    like  the  medicine  dance, 

Look  at  the  Mahometan  pilgrimages.  What 
weariness,  filth  and  death  mark  their  journey. 

See  the  people  of  Siam.  They  in  former  days 
burned  the  bodies  of  their  dead  and  mixing  them 
with  lime  used  them  as  plaster  for  their  temples. 

The  maidens  of  Carthage  gave  their  hair  that 
it  might  be  braided  into  bow-strings  for  Hannibal  s 


iwa  difo 
of  id(»l- 
ito  hero- 
the  sup- 
•eckonod 
?sh  from 
>e  girded 
miracle 
heathen 
en  know 
ave  love 

organ  i- 
md  zeal, 
'  won  by 

te  their 
into  the 
nost  iu- 
g  to  ten 
of  their 
!  dance, 
What 
i-ney. 
ler  days 
ng  them 
temples, 
air  that 
lunibal  s 


THE  USFAlLlXa  OR  ACE 


archers,  and  the  maidens  of  Tyre  gave  theirs  for 
cordage  in  the  navy  of  Tyre. 

Now,  get  that  faculty  thoroughly  imbued  with 
love,  let  the  divine  nature  fill  the  soul  with  the 
greatest  motive  power  known  in  the  universe,  and 
who  can  dream  what  buoyancy  shall  appear  in  the 
life  consigned  to  service  as  a  fish  is  to  the  water 
in  which  it  lives.  Then  nothing  will  be  so  de- 
licious to  the  soul  as  the  privilege  of  service. 
You  might  as  well  think  of  the  sun  running  a 
million  miles  out  of  its  sphere  to  gather  up  light 
enough  with  which  to  shine-  as  to  think  of  such  a 
life  separated  from  a  conscious  delight  in  blessing 
all  other  lives  about  it.  Do  you  realize  that  it  has 
never  changed  through  all  the  centuries  ?  It  is 
the  same  love  and  just  as  great  as  in  the  hour  when 
Christ  was  slain.  Like  the  little  wheat  seed  which 
thousands  of  years  ago  received  its  treasure  into 
itself  at  the  hands  of  God.  That  seed  has  folded 
that  treasure  close  in  its  embrace  all  down  the 
years,  in  heat  or  cold,  in  storm  or  calm,  by  day 
or  by  night;  it  is  to-day  after  successive  har- 
vests, not  barley  or  oats,  but  wheat.  With  like 
fidelity  through  all  the  ages  has  been,  and  will 
be,  this  love  of  God  always  the  same,  ^but  repro- 
ducing itself  in  successive  harvests  where  human 
hearts  receive  it.  Love  never  faileth.  When 
mixlice  and  jealousy,  pride  and  lust  have  burnt 
out  their  rapidly  wasting  stock  of  fuel,  then  love, 


I 


J 


■  i 


1 


3      ! 


fair  as  a  morning  without  clouds  and  strong  as  tho 
heart  of  the  Lord,  our  God,  shall  stand  forth 
chanting  triumphantly  tho  victory  of  the  saved; 
never  to  weary  or  want  or  die.  for  God  is  i.ovf,. 
And  that  this  grace  should  be  given  to  flood  your 
nature  and  mine!  Dear  reader,  tell  me.  is  not 
this  life?  And  is  not  all  the  other  common  strug- 
gle death? 

The  trees  of  life  grow  in  that  thirteenth  chap- 
ter of  First  Corinthians.  Let  us  move  into  that 
orchard  to-day.  A  perfect  abundance  of  ripe  fruit 
hangs  invitingly  from  the  low-bending  branches 
hero. 

Like  the  fish  to  the  ocean,  like  the  lamb  to  the 
meadow,  or  like  the  babe  to  its  mother's  arms, 
let  us  give  ourselves  to  His  love,  who  first  loved 
us. 


^^: 


T 
i 
i 


)ng  as  rlio 
luul  forth 
he  saved ; 
cl  is  1,0  VF,. 
flood  your 
10,  is  not 
ion  strug- 

nth  chap- 

into  that 

f  ripo  fruit 

r  branches 

mb  to  the 
er's  ai'ms, 
first  loved 


SOME  SCRIPTURE  SYM- 
BOLS OF  THE  HOLY 
SPIRIT. 


t 


#* 


"Tho  oyo  is  quicker  than  tlio  our.  And  there  is 
thoroforo  a  language  of  symbols.  The  multitude  will 
bettor  catch  your  meaning  by  one  apt  symbol  than  by  a 
thousand  words.  The  mind  shrinlis  from  tho  intellect- 
ual effort  of  grappling  with  tho  subtle  c8.sonce  of  things, 
and  loves  to  have  truth  wrapped  up  in  a  form  which  can 
easily  bo  taken  in  by  the  eye,  tho  oar,  tho  sense  of 
touch."  r.  B.  Meyer. 

"  And  there  apveared  unto  Viem  cloven  tanguca,  parting 
aautider  like  as  of  flre."— Acta  lUZ. 

"  The  church  of  God  is  to-day  courting  tho  world.  Its 
membe''s  arc  bringing  it  down  to  the  level  of  the  un- 
godly. Tho  ball,  the  theater,  nude  and  lowd  arts,  social 
luxuries,  with  all  their  loose  moralities,  aro  making 
inroads  into  the  sacred  enclosure  of  the  church.  As  a 
satisfaction  for  all  this  worldliness,  Christians  are  mak- 
ing a  groat  leal  of  Lent  and  Eastor  and  Good  Friday 
and  church  ornamentations.  It  is  the  old  trick  of  Satan. 
The  Jewish  church  struck  on  that  rock,  the  Roman 
church  was  wrecked  on  it,  and  the  Protestant  church  is 
fast  reaching  tho  same  doom.  Our  great  dangers,  as 
wo  see  them,  are  assimilation  to  the  world,  neglect  to 
tho  poor,  substitution  of  the  form  for  tho  fact  of  godli- 
ness, abandonment  of  discipline,  a  hireling  ministry,  an 
impure  Gospel,  which,  summed  up,  is  a  fashionable 
church."  Bishop  R.  S.  Foster. 


"  There  are  orders  that  go  straight  to  tho  hearts  of 
men  unheard  by  mortal  ears.  Some  day,  under  divine 
orders,  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ  will  move  out  to  take 
the  world.    Get  ready  for  it."    Bishop  C.  C.  McCabb. 


there  Is 
tude  will 
than  by  a 

intcUcct- 
ot  things, 
w'iiich  can 
I  sense  of 
Meyer, 

C8,  parting 


vorld.  Its 
of  the  un- 
irts,  social 
'o  making 
•oh.  As  a 
}  are  mak- 
od  Friday 
c  of  Satan. 
10  Roman 
church  is 
angers,  as 
neglect  to 
it  of  godli- 
inistry,  an 
ishionable 
Foster. 

)  hearts  of 
dor  divine 
)ut  to  take 

dcCABB. 


SOME  SCRIPTURE  SYMBOLS  OF  THE 
HOLY  SPIRIT. 

EITHER  because  our  moral  needs  are  so  great 
or  because  language  is  so  incompetent,  or 
perhaps  on  account  of  both  of  these,  God  has 
chosen  to  use  many  symbols  with  which  to  illus- 
trate and  send  home  the  truths  we  need  to  know 
and  cherish.     A  large  share  of  the  differences 
which  exist  between  people  in  their  beliefs  is  due 
to  the  narrowness  of  language.     The  truth  may 
bo  in  your  mind  and  in  your  heart,  but  when  you 
come  to  tell  the  hidden  worth  which  is  in  it,  what 
a  poor,  lame  instrument  is  language.   If  we  would 
consider  this   duly,    it  would  help  save  such  a 
tremendous  amount  of  religious  discussion,  and  it 
would  help  produce  such  a  great  aggregation  of 
true  harmony  among  Christian  people,   that  the 
world  would  much  sooner  got  a  deep  conviction 
of  a  divinity  of  the  Christian  religion.     Little 
differences  of  doctrinal  expression,  which  have  no 
particular  significance  as  to  our  life  and  as  to  our 
estimate  of  Jesus,  ought  at  least  to  be  placed  in 
abeyance,  in  the  presence  of  the  awful  needs  of 
humanity  about  us  and  the  eagerness  of  God's 
heart  to  reach  a  lost  world. 


880 


oi-r  or  riTE  cais-i-ife 


Tn  recent  years   tlie  public  schools  have  been 
adopting    what    is    called    teaching  by    objects. 
Children  are  taughc  to  count  with  the  use  of  bnlls 
and  sticks  and  apples;  or  the  picture  of  a  horse 
is  drawn  and   the  word  horse  written   under  it; 
then  the  child's  attention  is  called  to   the  picture 
and  to  the  word,  so  as  to  associate  the  word  with 
the  object  in  his  mind.     But  this  has  long  been 
heaven's  method  of  teaching  us,  another  proof  of 
the  modernness  of  Biblical  methods,  for  the  first 
Great  Teacher  has  always  led  the  way.    The  gen- 
erations are  in  the  distance  behind  lilm.     Let  us 
hasten  into  his  school. 

A  symbol  is  to  a  truth  what  the  wings  are  to 
the  bird.     Under  proper  conditions  it  carries  the 
truth  right  forth  on  its  journey  to  the  soul.    May 
we  see  more  than  we  put  into  words  as  we  study      ^ 
a  few  of  those  symbols  of  the  Divine  Spirit. 

1.  He  is  revealed  in  the  symbol  offrc.  This 
strange,  weird  element,  so  dangerous  as  an 
enemy  and  so  necessary  as  a  friend,  has  been  very 
widely  employed  by  the  Lord  as  a  method  of 
getting  the  truth  through  our  dullness  into  our 
souls.  He  fixed  it  in  flaming  words  at  the  gate  . 
of  Eden,  he  kindled  it  in  the  temple,  he  caused  it 
to  glow  on  Sinni,  he  raised  it  aloft  as  heaven's 
finger-board  for  Israel,  and  he  made  it  the  symbol 
of  the  baptism  of  a  Christian.     Fire.     Fire. 

What   a  separator  !     The  iron  and  the  silver  -f. 


lavc  bi'cn 

oVijocts. 
scof  balls 
it  a  hnrso 
under  it; 
10  pictiuv 
ivord  with 
ona  boeti 
r  proof  of 
f  the  first 

Thogpn- 
1.     Let  us 

irrs  are  to 
carries  the 
soul.    May 

we  study 
pirit. 

fire.  This 
lus  as  an 
s  been  very 
method  of 
>s  into  our 
,t  the  gate  -^ 
le  caused  it 
IS  heaven's 
,  the  symbol 

Fire. 
I  the  silver  -j- 


!<VUlt'TLUE  SVMllOl.S 


:isi 


iiiid  tlic  }^i>l(l  iu'f  liliciMlcd  froni  tlie  dross  wlicn 
til"  Miimcs  (if  fire  conic  to  cniancijnite.  With  a 
liliist  of  tire,  live  tim(>s  as  forceful  as  the  most 
violent  of  hurricanes,  the  pig-iron  is  liberated 
from  the  ore;  and  the  silver  is  poured  out  and 
the  gold  refined  by  the  same  mighty  agent.  So 
hero  the  agent  employed  for  the  soiiarating  of  the 
soul  from  sin  is  the  Floly  Spirit,  the  fire  of  (iod.  The 
deep  disease  of  iniquity  is  so  fastcMied  into  our 
beings  that  it  will  not  be  taken  out  except  it  l)e 
burnt  out.  The  great  problem  of  (nir  lives  is  in- 
volved ill  our  willingness  or  unwillingness  to 
part  with  (uu-  sins  without  any  compromise;  to 
pass  over  into  the  life  hidden  with  Christ  in  God 
and  let  his  fire  burn  the  bridges,  so  tliat  retreat 
will  find  no  place  in  all  the  programme.  Wo  are 
bidden  to  leave  the  whole  old  life  behind  us  and 
to  take  the  whole  new  life  for  our  own.  Forsake 
sin.  As  William  Ournall  said  when  the  gloom  of 
the  seventeenth  century  yet  hung  over  the  peo- 
ple, '-To  forsake  sin  is  to  leave  it  without  any 
thought  reserved  of  returning  to  it  again.  Every 
time  a  man  takes  a  journey  from  home  about 
business  wo  do  not  say  he  hath  forsaken  his 
house,  because  he  meant  when  ho  went  out  to 
come  to  it  again.  No,  but  when  wo  see  a  man 
leave  his  house,  carryall  his  stuff  away  with  him, 
lock  up  his  doors  and  take  up  his  abode  in  an- 
other, never  to  dwell   there  more,  here  is  a  man 


RfTf 


883 


OUT  OF  THE  VAIS-LIFJ: 


Avho  hsith  indeed  forsiikcM  liis  house."  It  "  w.-re 
slmnge  to  find  a  drunkard  so  constant  in  the  ex- 
creise  of  tliat  sin,  but  soniclimc  you  may  find  liini 
sober,  and  yet  a  drunkard  he  h\  as  well  as  If  he 
was  tlien  drunk.  Every  one  hath  not  forsaken 
his  trade  that  we  sec  now  and  then  in  his  lioliduy 
suits.  Then  the  man  forsakes  his  sin  when  he 
throwb  it  from  him,  and  bolts  the  door  upon  it 
with  a  purpose  never  to  open  more  to  it." 

"  Out  of  the  world,"  said  Jesus.     Those  words 
of  his  seem   to   be  charged   with   electric  force, 
when  you  sever  them  from  all  others.     What  a 
title  for  a  book  they  make.     How   they  catch  the 
attention,     '-Out   of    the    world."     Those   whom 
thou  hast  given  me  '^oid  of  l/u'   worhf,"  "I  have 
chosen    t/icm   out  of   the   world."     The   drift   of 
affairs  in  the  world  of  that  day  was  all  wrong, 
because,  as  we  have  seen,  it  was  of  the  ^elf-idea, 
and  how  sadly,  how  hellishly,  this  same  drift  moves 
on  to-day.     That  it  moves  on  is  not  so  deplorable 
as  that  it  is  believed  by  so  many  to  be  the  only  pos- 
sible way  of  living.      That  belief  is  so  deep  in  the 
convictions  of  the  people  that  the  practice  of  it 
is  a  natural   result,    and    the  little  children  arc 
taught  it  in  the  schools,  in    the  homes,  and,  too, 
betimes  at  least,  in  some  of  the  churches.     >.ow 
wo  know  that  the  Christian  life   is  another  Ivind 
of  programme,  operating  under  another  kind   of 
rules,  seeking  another  class  of  results,  and  inspired 


!p  i 


scmi'Triii']  s  y.MiioLii 


t'r*3 


[1      "WvTO 

11  Uic  cx- 
find  liiiii 

1  as  if  lie 
forsiikcii 

IS  holiduy 
when   lio 

ir  upon  it 

t." 

)se  words 

rio  foivo, 
Whiit  a 

CUifll  (liu 
)se  whom 
'  "  I  luivo 
drift  of 
ill  wrong, 

f;olf-idou, 
I'if  t  movi'S 
1( '  pi  o  ruble. 
^  only  pos- 
cop  in  the 
etice  of  it 
Idron   iiro 

and,  too, 
lOS.  >.o\v 
)thor  wind 
u"  kind  of 
id  inspired 


by  anotlicr  Spirit.  \Vc  arc  sent  inlo  lli<<  world 
oven  as  Christ  was.  V.'licn  Darius  flrd  ijcfoir 
Alcxundor,  li(>  throw  his  inassivo  crown  from  liis 
head  that  ho  miglit  run  tlic  faster,  and  in  this 
conflict  of  light  with  darkness,  wo,  wlio  do  boiicvi; 
in  God,  must  throw  aside  dl  our  cv/n  ambitions 
and  plans;  for  it  will  take  an  untrammolod  soul 
for  this  task. 

We  have  seen  attempts  to  enforce  this  idea  of 
separation  from  the  world  by  the  use  of  peculiar 
forms  of  dross.  It  may  be  better  to  give  us  this 
plan  than  none,  but  we  must  know  that  thoi  '■ 
ought  to  be  something  in  the  Christian  heart, 
something  in  the  life,  which  will  appear  as  a  con- 
trast, that  sinners  may  see  the  difference  between 
the  clay  in  the  pit  and  the  rock  whore  the  deliv- 
ered one  stands.  Let  not  the  fear  of  man  ensnare 
you.  The  stump  of  genuineness  is  involved  here. 
If  shamfj  are  to  bo  plentiful  as  weeds,  let  us  give 
this  Christian  religion  the  stamp  of  genuineness, 
in  the  presence  of  the  perverse.  Separate. 
Separated  by  fire.  So  often  we  speak  of  young 
Isaiah  having  his  li])s  touched  with  a  live  coal 
from  off  the  altar.  Do  you  not  suppose  those  lips 
of  his  were  blistered  after  the  livi>  coal  touched 
them?  Yes,  this  fire  burns.  It  will  blister,  but 
heaveirs  blisters  are  preferable  to  the  world's 
freezing.      The  church  must  be  separate  from  the 


(tVT  OF  TiiK  I' A  IS- HI' i- 


world.      A,HlilwiUln.sowlu-nth.>  IlolySi.ini  in 

(Uilv  honored.  ,     i     ,  . 

sLc.u  not  lay  h.T, rout  uud..rt.l<.n,stnl.ulo 

,.,„,,.asotHU-tionubU.nu.thods.^ihKV.u.m, 
„„Ho  llu.  Lusinoss  sh.-owd-u.ss  of  sinful  n..n  . 
l,.,ssess   gold.    Nvithoui  violating    Ihm-    v.rtu.  an.l 
wrcfkinu  hor  prospects. 

S,o  .;  not'undortuUo    to  Indors.   tlu-  anu.so- 

mont-loving    solt-lifo   of    th.    p.opl.   al,.n,t  hn 
;^;,lotothos.uncMU..tl..lsofl<imugt>"n..u.l 

'.„..;i„,  s.lf-.on....itwVu.htl>o  world  lovos.wUh- 

out  grieving  tlu.  Holy  Spint. 

She  ean;otel.o<.se   the   glitter   and     oseth 

worth,  she  can  not,  ..ither  fr,r  money  w.th  whuh 
Tpe  petnat<.  her  great  undertakings  or  w,tl 
llLl,.  with  whichtoeons<.le  her  van.ty^l^.a 

,,,,,  society  demands    her   comproimse,   v^tthout 

U,sing  her  power  and  grieving  her  Cod. 

Si' can  iot,  through  her  amusements,  fun      lu 

treasury  for  God's  poor  and  atten.pt  through  h 
pleasures   to    provide   the  social  stnnulus  wluc  . 
Ihe  sinner,  amid  ten  thousand  temptations    needs 
^Uhout  betraying  the   wisdom  of  her  Leader.^ 
slandering  the  Calvary  of  her  Re^>en,e.J^ 

heart  has  not  been  made  sielc  .n  these  lattci  da> 
'"h  the  terribUMravesty  Ufa  mixed  intox.cat>on 

of   amusement  and    so-called    charity    and  of    a 
pvomiscuous  jumble  of   worldliness  and   rel. gum. ^ 

Uawnotlongagoaohureh  arranged  forachureh- 


u.. 


y  Si>iril  i>> 
,rs  triliuU' 

n 

ll  Mlfll  wliii 

virtue  mid 

tlio  aimiso- 
iihoui  lit>r, 
g  tiini'  and 

lul  lost'  '*>"' 
with  whkh 
gs,  or  with 
■unity,  plt'iid 
ISO,  -without 
od. 

its,  fund  the 
through  lu'r 
iiiulus  which 
tions,  needs, 
r  Lead(n'  and 
ner.     Whose 
;o  hitter  days 
I  intoxication 
ty    and  of    a 
und   religion V 
,  for  a  'jhureh- 


aciui'Ti-iii:  s vMiioLs 


L'HJ 


Hupper  with  a  fee,  wln-re  tlie  words  of  the  n'ic/ced 
riih  iiiiiii  were  framed  und  hung  up  near  one  of 
the  fal»h's,  "  Kat,dnnlv  and  he  nii<rry."  And  this 
in  Christ's  chureh  ! 

Nor  may  she  withdraw  from  tlie  world.  Tlie 
iron  worker  will  thrust  his  hand  into  tlie  water 
and  then  into  tlie  molten  ii'on  for  an  instant, 
witlioiit  receiving  injury.  Tiie  wat(>r  lias  mad'' a 
case  of  vapor  about  the  liand  for  its  protection, 
and  the  Lord  makes  a  wall  of  fire  about  his  people 
for  protection.  We  may  not  withdraw,  saving 
for  that  secret  communion  v.hich  girds  us.  Out, 
riglit  out  into  the  world's  needs  will  we  go,  too 
intent  for  its  salvation  to  dare  adopt  any  second- 
rate  measures  or  methods,  and  t(io  sure  of  the 
wealth  of  the  things  of  grace  to  dare  l)ar1er  with 
a  bankrupt  world.  The  fresh  fish  lives  in  the 
salt  water.  "Our  polity  begins  in  the  heavens." 
Wc  must  be  cut  loose  from  this  world-spirit. 
The  world  which  knew  not  Christ  when  he  canu; 
among  us  hi  the  flesh  does  not  know  him  yet,  and 
John  says  that  this  is  the  very  reason  it  dues  not 
know  us  because  it  knew  not  him.  And  it  never 
will  know  Christ  until  it  has  lust  the  goaded, 
competitive,  vain,  self-assertive  s'^m'it.  O  for  a 
baptism  of  ChriHlUoi  faith. 

Fire  has  a  very  penetrating  quality.  Hide  it 
away  as  deeply  as  you  may,  and  if  it  has  fuel 
enough  and  draft  enough  it  will  burn  to  the  sur- 


I 


280 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


face.     See  it  bolching  out  of  the  crater  of  the  vol- 
cano and  darting  through  the  tops  of  the  tluea  of 
the  great  factories.     Put  it  under   six    inches  of 
iron,  and  the  iron  will  become  hot  on  the  surface; 
put  it  over  on  one    side  of    the  room,  and  it  will 
gradually   make   its    way   out,  until,  if  you  open 
the  door  on  the  other  side   to  enter  the  building, 
the  waves  of  heat  will  meet  you  there.      And  I  am 
glad  that  the  fire  of  the  Divine  Spirit  is  ever  pen- 
etrating  and    will    find   its    way   to  the  surface. 
Christianity  is    not  shame-faced.     She  has  com- 
mitted no  crimes,  she  is  guilty  of  no  selfishness. 
Her  record  is  above  all  compare,  and  she  does  not 
require   to  hide   awoy  in  shame.     On  the   other 
hand,  her  characteristic  is  to  Jo,  to  give,  to  dare, 
to  turn  the  world  upside  down.     No  such  revolu- 
tionary thought  was  ever  cherished  in  the  mind 
of  man  as  that  thought  which  is  the  prime  factor 
in  the  Christian  religion— love  to  God  and  love  to 
man.     This  Holy  Spirit  fire  will  burn  out  to  the 
surface. 

It  will  t:<kG  the  cloud  off  the  face.  You 
may  not  know  that  your  face  shines;  Moses 
did  not  know  that  his  shone.  Had  he  known 
it,  vanity  might  have  stepped  in  and  beclouded 
it  again.  Disease,  too,  may  have  rendered 
«  the  skin  of  your  face  far  otherwise  that  riiddy, 
but  the  Divine  kindling  will  be  yours.  This  firo 
burns  out,  t-  .1,    into   the  conduct,  into  the  very 


T 


SCIiirrUIiB  SYMBOLS 


387 


Lcr  of  the  vol- 
of  the  flucti  of 
six    iiu'hcs  of 

I  the  surface; 
m,  and  it  will 
1,  if  you  open 

the  building, 
c.  And  I  am 
it  is  evei'pon- 
a  the  surface. 
She  has  com- 
o  selfishness. 

II  she  does  not 
On  the   othoi" 

give,  to  dare, 
0  such  re vol u- 
d  in  the  mind 
3  prime  factor 
od  and  love  to 
arn  out  to  the 

e  face.  You 
hines;  Moses 
lad  he  known 
and  beclouded 
lave  rendei'cd 
;e  thai  ruddy, 
ars.  This  lire 
into  the  very 


movement  of  life.  1  liave  actually  seen  people 
move  their  hands  with  beautiful  grace  when  a 
fresh  anointing  had  come  upon  th'ir  hearts.  But 
this  effect  is  far  more  expressive  than  in  physical 
expression  or  physical  movement.  With  this  fire 
burning  within  us,  we  shall  let  people  know 
whether  we  ai'e  servants  of  God  or  not.  At  the 
close  of  a  meeting  some  time  ago  a  gentleman 
came  up  to  me  and  said,  ' '  T  can  not  tell  you  how  y. 
interested  I  was  in  those  few  words  spoken  by  my 
partner.  I  was  delighted.  It  completely  sur- 
prised me.  We  have  been  partners  for  twelve 
years,  and  this  is  the  first  time  I  ever  knew  he 
professed  to  be  a  Christian."  Now,  the  man  in 
his  testimony  had  said  that  he  had  been  some 
twenty  years  in  the  service  of  the  Lord.  God 
forgive.  A  man  who  is  a  Christian  should  assert 
it.  I  hear  people  say  that  they  are  going  to  live 
it,  but  they  are  not  going  to  tell  it.  One  might 
as  well  say  that  ho  is  going  to  be  dead-alive.  You 
can  not  be  a  Christian  without  telling  it.  It  is  a 
part  of  the  programme  to  tell  it.  In  this  con- 
nection the  Scriptures  mention  the  organ  wich 
which  we  express  it.  T'hc  mouth,  the  lips,  the 
tontrue:  "With  the  mouth  confession  is  made 
unto  salvation."  "My  lips  shall  show  forth  thy 
praise ;"  and  when  Pentv^cost  came,  the  symbol 
was  the  tongue  of  fire.  But  people  say  it  is  better 
to  live  it  and  not  profess  it  Ihaii  to  profess  it  and 


i 


I 


i 


288 


OUT  OF  TllK  VAIN-LIFE 


not  live  it.     But  this  boat  has  two  oars,  Vxe  one 
is    "to  live  it,"  the   other  is  "  to  profess  it;'  it 
you  throw   away  either  oar  you   row  in  a  circle; 
with  the  use  of  both  oars  you  make  your  way 
heavenward.     It  is   painful   to   fuul  a  large  com- 
pany of  people  gathered  together  in  what  is  called 
u  Christian   testimony   meeting   when    oi-.ly  the 
smallest  percentage  appears  to  have  anything  to 
testify.     As  if  there  were  nothing  to  say,  as  if 
Christ  were  not  on  trial,  or  as  if  no  struggle  were 
pending  and  no  great  victory  was  to  be  won.     I 
tell  you,  if  the  fire  of  the  Divine  Spirit  gets  into 
the  people's  hearts  it  will  revolutioni/.e  the  testi- 
mony meetings  and  we  shall  not  only  be  ready  to 
speak,  but.  what  is  of  evidently  more  import,   we 
shall  be  faithful  witnesses  to  the  Christ,  and  mca 
shall  feel  the  conviction  of  our  witness  • 

And  this  fire  ot  the  Divine  Spirit   will  revolu- 
tionize our  social  customs.     I  think  I  see  the  day 
coming  when    an    afternoon    call   will   no  longer 
mean  a  few  casual  remarks  about  the  weather  and 
ordinary  things,   with  a  visitor's  card  added,  but 
when  if  no  other  method  will  successfully  lift  us 
out  of  this  u.Mpid,   uninviting  custom,    we  shall 
have  Caller's  Societies  or  Leagues  or  Unions  to 
provide  a  programme,  so  that  for  one  month  all 
the  callers  may  converse  mainly  about  thv.  work 
of  the  Gospel  in  Africa,  and   another  month  the 
work  of  the  Gospel  in  India,  and  another  the  in- 


l' 


M  nil'Tl 7i7-:  SVMIUtLS 


!.'S!» 


irs,  the  one 
•ofess  it;"'  if 
r  m  a  fircle; 
m  your  wiiy 
Li  largo  fom- 
•liiit  is  called 
Ml    <M'.ly  Ihi; 
anything  to 
to  say,  as  if 
Iruggle  were 
be  won.     I 
rit  gets  into 
ize  the  testi- 
ly be  ready  to 
e  import,   we 
fist,  and  men 
;ss  • 

,  will  revi^lu- 
I  see  the  day 
ill   no  longer 
e  weather  and 
ird  added,  but 
jsfully  lift  us 
torn,    we  shall 
or  Unions  to 
me  month  all 
30ut  thv.  work 
lor  month  the 
lother  the  in- 


(luence  of  good   reading  -.ijion   Ihe  children,  etc. 
Must  we  hcai-  the  plea  that  the  people  would  not 
be  sufliciently  informed  to  converse  inielligently 
upon  the  subject  of  missions?     Then  they  may  be 
infcrmed.      The  people    who  are   accustomed    to 
pay  social  calls  ought   to  be  infonnod.     Let  the 
1ir(>  burn  brightly  enough  in   every  church  serv- 
ice, in  the  missionary    meetings   and  in  the  won- 
derful missionary  papers  and  magazines,  and  they 
will  be  ashamed  in  this  day  of  privilege  and  need 
to  ever  suggest  for  one  moment   a  paltry  excuse 
for  wasting  time  by  menly    "passing  the   time" 
This  awful  lethargy,  whether  it  exhibits  itself  in 
the  cold  testimony  meeting  or   in   the  system  of 
polite  calls,  must  be  substituted  with  a  mighty 
quickening.      Our  Christian  expressions  are  too 
much  like  the  names  on  the  handkerchiefs   when 
they  used  to  print  them  with  old-fashioned  indel- 
ibl(^  ink.     They  had  to  pass  a  hot  iron  over  the 
printing,  so  as  to  bring  it  out  clearly  and  make 
it  legible.     The  deep  things  of  the  Divine  Spirit 
need  to  be  brought  out  to-day.     The  cold  refresh- 
incr  water  is  at  the  bottom  of  the  well      One  of  the 
richest  compliments  I  have  yet  heard  paid  to  any 
man  was  paid  to  a  minister  of  Christ  who  has 
recently  spoken  in  most  of  the  cities  of  the  cen- 
tral and  eastei'n  States.     We  were  seated  at  the 
supper  table  when  his  work  became  a  subject  of 
comment.     One  of  the  company  said,  "  That  man 


1     i 

1 '  ■■ 


made?  in(>  think  of  Jesus  ovt'i'V  minute,"  anJ  her 
CDnuncnt  was  promptly  fonowed  by  two  or  three 
others,  who  said  that  they  felt  the  very  same 
while  listening  to  him.  That  man  so  specializes 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  he  says,  "The 
Holy  Spirit's  fruit  and  ehist  work  is  togetChi-ist 
and  the  love  of  God  in  us  for  our  evcry-day  life." 

Love  burns. 

Fire  is  a  unifier.  Need,  awful  need,  stalks 
everywhere  about  us  while  perhaps  plenty  of  our 
strength  is  expended  and  certainly  enough  thne 
occupied,  somehow,  and  too  often,  I  feai*,  anyhow. 
But  the  claim  of  a  divine  harmony  is  wanting. 
We  can  not  steadily  execute  because  we  do  not 
steadily  keep  step;  mob-like  rather  than  army- 
like. It  is  as  useless  as  it  is  faithless  for  us  to 
say  tiiat  the  harmony  can  not  exist  and  c"specially 
that  it  can  not  be  perpetuated  long,  where  the 
peculiarities  of  many  people  ai'e  to  be  taken  into 
account.  It  will  cost  our  great  Savior  no  more 
taxing  of  strength  to  keep  a  soul  true  for  a 
minute  than  for  a  second,  or  for  a  day  than  for  a 
minute.  Do  not  think  of  any  strain  'leing  placed 
upon  the  strength  of  the  Lord  in  keeping  us. 

"Tell  me,"  said  a  trembling  soul,  "how  the 
Lord  can  keep  one  spotless  every  day."  The 
teacher  answered,  "I  carried  a  vessel  full  of  oil 
all  the  way  around  _the  city  without  spilling  a 


Hi 


scuii'Tura-:  symbols 


201 


',"  and  her 
ivo  or  three 
very  same 
i  specializes 
5ays,  "The 

0  got  Chi'ist 
y-duy  life." 

leed,  stalks 
lenty  of  our 
'iioiigh  time 
ir,  anyhow, 
is  wanting. 
?.  we  do  not 
than  army- 
iss  for  us  to 
id  o"spocially 
,  where  the 
e  taken  into 
ior  no  more 

1  true  for  a 
r  than  for  a 
'leing  placed 
ping  us. 

I,  "how  the 

day."     The 

3el  full  of  oil 

it  spilling  a 


drop  of  it.      ITnw  did  I  do  it  ?     1  kept  my  eye  on 
it  all  the  time." 

The   Almighty  Cod,    the    everlasting   Father, 
fainteth  not,  neither  is  weary.     Then  he  can  just 
as  easily  keep  us  for  a  year,  or  a  century,  or  a 
million   centuries,   as   for  a  second.     Indeed,  we 
mortals   are  not  acquainted  with  lime,  anyway. 
When  I  was  a  boy  the  length  of  lime  from  Christ- 
mas to  Christmas  seemed  like  a  century,  now  it 
seems  rather  like  a  day.      When  we  awaken  in 
the  morning,   the  night's  sleep  appears  to  have 
been  but  an  instant.     Wrapped  in  conversation, 
time  passes  unnoticed.     So  a\c  do  not  know  time. 
I  can  not  tell  whether  the  battle  is  long  or  short. 
With  the  Lord  a  thousand  years  arc  as  one  day. 
And  it  is  equally  true  that  God  can  as  easily  keep 
a  million  souls  as  one,  in  perfect  accord.     George 
Mullcr  uttered  a  great  philosophy  when  he  was 
first  called  of  God  to  build  his  large  orphanage. 
Said  he,    "I  knew  that  the  Lord  could  as  easily 
support  a  thousand  orphans  through  me  as  three 
hundred."     Yes.     He  can  do  it. 

Then,  too,  we  show  a  want  of  faith  in  both  God 
and  man  by  our  chronic  iinphasis  upon  reporting 
things  This  religious  denomination  is  of  such  a 
size,  and  it  collected  so  much  money.  The  property 
of  that  reliffious  denomination  is  valued  at  so  such. 
The  converts  for  the  year  aggregated  so  many. 
The  effect  of  all  this  would  not  be  so  serious  were  it 


r 


i     n 


1 


"03 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


not  ii  fact  tliut  tlic  habit  colors  our  cstiinutos  and 
casts  a  sort  of  hard,  mathematical  influence  about 
the  work  until  one  is  led  to  wonder  whether  the 
Lord  will  not  repeat  the  history  of  Gideon's 
army  and  deplete  the  numbers.  It  is  nothing 
new  to  hear  men  say  to-day  that  the  greatest 
danger  of  a  religious  organization  is  its  vastness. 
Why  ?  This  is  not  necessarily  so.  Our  Lord  is 
the  God  of  the  millions  and  his  resources  are  in- 
finite. But  remember  the  real  work  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  can  not  be  road  from  an  annual  report. 
You  may  report  calls,  so  many,  and  the  distance 
between  them,  so  many  rods,  and  the  length  of 
each  call,  so  many  minutes,  but  you  can  not 
report  so  many  yards  high,  and  so  many  yards 
wide,  and  so  many  yards  deep,  of  fidelity.  The 
thing  is  unreportablc.  God  weighs  where  man 
measures.  Man  runs  into  mathematics  God 
holds  to  dynamics.  Let  the  report  be  the  var- 
nish if  you  will  but  let  the  great,  holy,  divine 
principle  be  the  structure. 

And  that  shrewd  eye  which  prides  itself  in 
keenly  estimating  grades  of  redeemed  men,  so 
that  it  promptly  distinguishes  between  what  it 
pronounces  "the  upper  and  the  lower  classes,"  is 
not  a  safe  discerner  of  the  movements  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  Strife  in  the 
church  is  the  same  evil  monster  that  it  is  in  the 
bar-room,  only  the  garb  is  different.     Ten  fingers 


scitiPTURE  sy^rnoLs 


2!>.'l 


tiiniiti'S  and 
lucncc  about 
whcthci'  tho 
of    Gideon's 

is  nothing 
the  greatest 
ts  vastness. 
Oui'  Lord  is 
arces  are  in- 
of  the  Spirit 
riual  report, 
the  distance 
he  length  of 
ou  can  not 
many  yards 
iiellty.     The 

where  man 
latics      God 

be  the  var- 
holy,   divine 

des   itself  in 

led  men,  so 

een   what  it 

r  classes,"  is 

3  of  the  Holy 

Strife  in  the 

it  is  in  the 

Ten  fingers 


on  (wo  hands  ol)oy  the  will  of  one  person,  inul  a 
tiHily  surr(MKl(>roa  people,  even  the  body  of  Christ, 
shall  harmonize  with  tho  0/ie  Diri/ie  Will. 

At  a  great  camp  meeting  scores  of  tents  were 
pitched  in  the  grove  just  out  of  the  city.  These 
and  the  board  cottages  accommodated  hundreds 
of  people.  Many  of  them  cooked  their  own  food 
during  tlie  sacred  outing.  Meetings  were  held 
almost  hourly  and  continued  late  at  night.  A 
heavy  rain  fell  and  the  bedding  had  to  be  carried 
out  of  the  tents  into  the  sunlight  which  followed. 
Many  of  the  people  carried  fruits  and  other  pro- 
visions from  the  city,  necessitating  a  long  walk- 
each  trip.  Thus  the  people  were  kept  unusually 
busy.  Theii  tents  were  close  together  and  many 
conveniences  were  wanting.  Yet  they  lived  for 
a  week  without  a  known  disagreement.  No  ns^d 
of  police  interference— no  violence,  no  hursh 
words;  but  singing,  praying,  weeping,  and  buoy- 
ant victoriousness  prevailed  there.  Stand  oO^and 
look  upon  the  scene,  and  let  us  consider: 
If  God  would  give  those  hundreds  and  thousands 
to  live  so  harmoniously  for  a  week  why  may  we 
not  claim  the  same  victory  for  the  multitudes, 
and  years  of  it,  too.  Or  aurely  we  may  claim  it 
in  Missionary  Societies,  in  Young*  Peoples'  Socie- 
ties, in  Sunday  Schools,  in  assemblies  of  preachers 
and  of  Christian  workers,  yea  in  the  church  of 
Christ.     Do  you  say  how  shall   we  secure    this 


!.'0l 


orr  OF  riiK  cajx-lifh 


:    \. 


blpssod  unity  ?     (!iv(.  us  tl.o  n.l.'s.      M.,  U'.mv  is 
the    trouble.       Wo    would    iidopl    tl.(>    rules,    we 
would   pay  the   money,  we  would   f:vst  and    read 
and  plan   and  toil.>it  we  would   not  meet  that 
crisis  which   we  fear.     We  dread  to  open    wide 
the  hearing  of   the   soul    and  let    those    words 
seareh  us,  "You  must  either  deny  self  or  Christ  " 
That  awful  crisis  moment  reveals  our  cowardice. 
Faith  is  heroism.     Let  tis  dare  to  die.     Let  us  be 
brave  enough   to   give  up   the   ambition   to   live 
here  a  long  time,  goaded  tm  by  a  l<ind  of  relig- 
ious hypochondria.     Let  us  count  God    in,    and 
say,  "Thy  sweet  will  is  enough  '      Let  us  meet 
the  crisis.     Satan  will   say  you  will  die  physi- 
cally,  you  will  be  poor,  you  will   defeat  all  the 
better  possibilities  of  your  character,  you  will  be 
hidden  away,  no  one  will  know  you,  you  will  be  a 
fool      Let  us  say,  "Granted.     I  must  choose:  I 
will  choose  the  will  of  God;  I  die  that  I  may  live. 
Holy  Spirit,  it  is  enough." 

Come  gently,  moments  of  mine.  Gladly  I  greet 
you,  fresh  from  my  Father's  hands.  My  future  is 
not  a  speculative  future.  It  is  all  good  in  the 
pledge  of  my  Redeemer.  Come,  then,  moments 
of  mine;  ye  bring  me  naught  but  good. 

The  whole  difliculty  is  the  want  of  that  faith 
which  receives  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  neglect 
may  be  largely  cultivated  through  fear  of  fanat- 
icism or  a  delicate  fondness  for  moderation,  rather 


' 


scnirTLnii:  sv.mioLs 


uiiri 


All,  llaTf  is 
i>  rules,  wo 
,st  and  road 
t  moot  that 
)  o\)on  wido 
tlioso  words 
If  or  Christ  " 
r  cowardioo. 
'.  Lot  us  b(> 
ition  to  livo 
ind  of  roliy- 
God    in,    and 

Let  us  meet 
ill  die  physi- 
,(Sfeat  all  the 
r,  you  will  be 

you  will  bo  a 
ust  choose:  I 
at  I  may  live. 

Gladly  I  greet 
My  future  is 

I  ffood   in  the 

hon,  moments 

jod. 

;  of  that  faith 

This    neglect 

fear  of  fanat- 

eration,  rather 


tliiui  a  violent  projudico  Anything  will  do,  tlio 
one  object  of  tho  enemy  being  to  koop  us  from 
the  victory.  No  two  people  will  probably  think 
exactly  the  same  in  detail,  but  we  can  fall  pi-ono 
into  the  hands  of  Him  who  breathes  1'  ^  breath 
of  holy  life  within  us.  Wo  can  give  up  to  God, 
throwing  away  the  millionaire  spirit  and  assort- 
ing the  spirit  f)f  deepest  want. 

There,  at  the  very  opposite  of  this  spirit  of 
harmony,  lies  our  competition  ant^  strife  which  has 
given  ri.se  to  that  sort  of  religious  mathematics, 
which,  like  the  frost  with  the  feeble  meadow 
brook,  threatens  to  freeze  solidly  the  genuinely 
spiritual  activities  of  the  organizations  it  afflicts. 
A  living  child  two  feet  in  height  is  unspeakably 
preferable  to  a  dead  doll — a  thing — six  feet  in 
height.     The  Lord  send  us  livbuj  tiyiTV. 

2.  He  is  revealed  to  us  in  the  symbol  of  inciter. 
I  have  before  called  your  attention  to  Jesus'  words 
in  the  seventh  chapter  of  John,  where  He  cm- 
ployed  this  symbol  during  the  Feast  of  Taber- 
nacles, 

What  a  beautiful  and  expressive  symbol  !  See 
iu  in  the  iris  bend  as  a  wreath  about  the  brow  of 
the  storm,  see  it  in  the  soft-tinted  veil  over  the 
rising  sun,  or  the  white,  fiuflfy  frill  about  tho 
evening  star;  beautiful  in  the  brook,  beautiful  in 
the  river,  beautiful  in  the  sea,  the  fountain,  the. 
ice-cake,  or  the  dew-drop. 


son 


nirr  of  riii:  cmsi.ifk 


\ 


TIio  Psiilmist  siM'iiks  ubmit  tlic  hrauhj  of  lioli- 
lu'ss.  If  \vi'  should  uiidci'tuK*'  to  roprosont  the 
{graces  of  the  Spirit  witli  the  use  of  human  cluvr- 
ac'tors,  how  l)ouutiful  wo  would  require  to  make 
the  faces! 

What  is  more  refreshiiifr  than  the  water  to  the 
thirsty  piljjjrim,  as  he  drinks  it,    or  to  the  dusty 
traveler,  as    he   bathes    in    it.     The   grass,    the 
flowers  and  the  trees  wear  new  forms  of  l)eauty 
and  share  a  new  life,  after  the    warm   showers 
have  fallen.     The  dry,  adobe  plains  of  the  West  ^ 
are  turned  into  splendid  gardens,  luxuiiant  with 
harvest       What   did    it?      Water.       Why    that 
stretch  of  country  yonder,  bearing  now  and  then 
a  bunch  of  grease  weed,  while  hero,  within  a  few 
rods  of  it,  fruits  and  flowers   abound  ?     Water. 
W^ater  has  been   brought  from  yonder  mountain 
lake  or  stream  in  the  canon,  and  the  refreshing  ' 
is  like  the  roses  on  the  cheek   of  health.      And 
when  the  Divine  Spirit  is  fully  entertained  in  our 
souls,  how  refreshing  !     Human  cares  lose  their 
drudgery,   common  duties  cease  to  be  irksome, 
the    feverish    thirst   for    something    exciting   is 
gone,  and  the  soul  loves  the  philosophy  of  Jesus' 
words,  "  He  that   is  faithful    in   that   which    is 
least   is   faithful    also  in    much."      We  do   not 
require  the  overdrawn  plot  of  the  exciting  story 
to  rouse  up  our  spirits  to  the  point  of  endurance. 
We  drink  of  the  water  from  the  hidden  rock  and 


SVlill'TL'JlK  S 1  M  lli>LS 


vMi7 


iiti/  of  lioli- 
[jivsont  tlio 
luiimn  cliur- 
rc  to  make 

vator  to  tlio 
:i  tlu>  dusty 

grass,    the 
IS  of  Ix'auty 
I'm   showers 
of  tlin  West  ^ 
:uiiunt  with 

Why  that 
>w  and  then  . 
vithin  a  few 
d  ?  Water. 
?r  mountain 
c  refreshing  " 
?alth.  And 
ained  in  our 
Bs  lose  their 
be  irlcsomo, 

exciting  is 
[)hy  of  Jesus' 
at   which    is 

We  do  not 
iciting  story 
if  endurance, 
ien  rock  and 


bathe  in  the  fountain  of  perpetual  strength  until 
'•  tlie  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day." 
Doos][lh('  reader  know  the  secret  of  this  precious 
refreshing?  Have  you  gone  alone  and  found 
a  really  new  revelation  of  faith  or  ho[)o  or  love  to 
your  soul  ?  Have  you  seen  that  these  things 
which  are  prime  truths  to  God,  devoid  of  all 
speculation  and  dreaminess,  were  becoming  v(!ry 
real  to  you  ?  You  have  proven  his  refreshing  in 
the  communion  of  Christian  people  and  in  -seeking 
to  help  the  most  helpless.  You  havo  provcni 
what  the  world  wonderingly,  or  may  be  helplessly, 
hears,  that  "It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to 
receive."  Now,  for  you,  through  all  nature,  reve- 
lation and  providence,  the  Holy  Spirit  offers  an 
infinite  refreshing  An  apple  now  and  then  ? 
Yours  is  the  liberty  of  the  whole  orchard. 

But  the  water  is  more  than  refreshing  and  beau- 
tiful. What  a  carrier  is  water.  What  floating 
cities  find  their  way  from  continent  to  continent, 
while  the  old  ocean  bears  their  burdens,  and  it 
seems  as  easy  for  the  ocean  to  carry  a  steel-clad 
as  to  carry  a  feather.  The  Divine  Spirit  within 
us  shall  render  us  burden-bearers.  There  is 
plenty  to  do.  The  calls  are  loud  oiiough,  the  want 
is  vast  enough,  but  the  heart  to  do  it,  and  do  it 
steadily,  day  in  and  day  out,  without  wearing 
down  into  harshness  and  complaining,  wc  never 


•.",»H 


OCT  OF  rut:  VA  IS- LI  Ft: 


(1111    (iiul,   unlt'SH    Iho   Holy  Spirit  comes  us  tho 
wuter  to  hear  us  mid  our  biirtltMis  iilon^. 

',i.  /fc  in  ni'dihU  to  iiA  ill  thf  si/iiifm/  of  ((  (Idi'c, 
..pciially  used  at  the  tiiiicof  tlic  liaptisin  of  Josus. 
The  dove  has  \o\\^  been  lu-ld  to  be  tlie  syml)cl  of 
modesty,  j^eutleness  and  jieaee,  Slio  will  not 
nestle  amoii;^  the  briars  or  rude  surroundin<rs. 
Her  nest  is  downy  and  soft.  And  it  is  one  of  tho 
sweet  ('liaraetei'isties  of  lli(«  Holy  Spirit  that  ho 
prepares  tlie  nest  for  himself  in  our  souls,  with 
mildness  and  gentleness  for  its  lining.  That 
sweet  subduing  is  often  manifested  in  tears  of 
tenderness,  like  the  thawing  out  of  winter,  pre- 
paring for  the  spring  showers  to  come.  Unkind 
words  and  unkind  looks  do  not  belong  to  that 
soul  whieh  is  t  <>  nesting  place  of  the  heavenly 
dove.  His  gentleness  doth  make  us  great.  What 
could  be  more  approjiriate  than  this  symbol  at 
the  baptism  of  him  "  who  is  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart."  Why,  it  seems  almost  superfluous  to 
speak  of  Jesus  as  sweet-tempered  and  gentlcl* 
The  Holy  Spirit  will  make  us  like  himsel'.  The 
rulfled  soul  can  not  speak  even  the  truth  well, 
because  it  is  to  bo  "  spoken  in  love." 

*1.  T/icii  them  is  the  si/inbul  of  the  vnnd.  This 
is  anotlv'r  of  those  strange,  swift  forces  so  com- 
mon to  this  world.  Jesus  told  Ni-jodemus  that 
we  could  not  tell  whence  it  came  or  where  it  went. 
The  little  breath  of  morning  air,  called  the  rustic 


scnu'TiriiH  sy.MnoLS 


Mt 


IVH   tho 

(  <ltn'(; 
Jesus, 
ibd  of 

II  lu.l 
diiiffs. 
of  tliu 
hut  lio 

with 

That 

urs  of 

I-,  pre- 

I II  kind 
1  that 
iXvcMily 

hoi  at 
wly  in 
ous  to 
.^entle!*" 

Tho 
.   well, 

This 

I  com- 

is  that 

t  went. 

rustic 


V 


of  tlie  dawn,  j^alliers  Utile  breaths  to  Itself,  until 
vohinie  after  volinnc  ha-;  heconie  liarnionized,  and 
then  sweepiiif^  over  the  liiU  tops,  it  plays  with  tlie 
fields  of  ^rain  and  the  tail  trees,  and  tho  sailin}^ 
clouds,  the  wind-mills  and  the  seas,  as  if  It  had  a 
limitless  sweep  and  cared  not  how  j^reat  tho  de- 
mand. It  ;,'ets  into  the  sails  of  the  sliips  and  pro- 
pels llietn  on  their  cour.se,  it  ^ets  into  the  wind- 
mills and  pmnps  the  water  for  tlie  farm. 

This  j^reat  motive  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
wherever  cherished,  has  been  signalized  as  tho 
mii^hty  motive  poW(!r  of  God.  The  heavenly 
motiv.'  power!  This  power  got  into  the  heart 
t  of  Paul,  utitil  day  and  night  ho  sought  a  lost 
world,  like  a  mother  seeking  a  lost  child.  IIo 
preached,  he  toiled  with  iiis  own  hands,  ho 
pleaded,  he  prayed,  he  wept;  imprisoned,  lie  wit- 
nessed for  Christ;  set  free,  he  journeyed  on  foot 
from  country  to  country;  caught  in  a  storm  at 
sea,  he  communed  with  God  and  taught  the  peo- 
ple; cast  upon  a  desert  island,  he  so  displayed  tlio 
presence  of  God  with  him,  that  the  natives  gathered 
togetlier  provisions  and  put  them  on  ship-board 
with  him,  and  when  ho  resumed  his  journey  he 
feared  neither  Rome,  nor  tlie  Romans,  nor  death. 
In  the  mighty  sway  of  tlie  Divine  Spirit,  he 
moved  through  this  thankless  world  to  r(>prosent 
the  Christ.  And  he  still  keeps  moving.  This 
mighty  force  has  moved  men  and  women,   until 


800 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIS-LIFE 


they  could  not  remain  surrounded  by  their  com- 
forts and  apparent  advantages.     David  Livmy-^ 
stone  was  entreated  not  to  be  so  foolish  a?  to  bury 
his  great  intellect  in  Africa.    William  Carey,  after.- 
d  rawing  rude  maps  on  old  pieces  of  paper  and  solo 
leather  in  his  shoe  shop,  determined  to  go  to  India. 
Count  Ziniiendorf,  the  father  of   Moravian   mis- : 
sions,  stirred  to  the  depths  while  looking  upon 
Stenburg's  altai  piece  picture  of  the  crucifixion, 
under  which  was  written, 

"  All  this  I  did  for  thee; 
What  hast  thou  done  for  me  '?  " 
threw  his  fortune  out  to  humanity  as  an  offering 
of  holy  love.     How  this  mighty  force  moved  upon  ■ 
the  soul  of  the  sainted  Frances  Ridley  Havergal.  ^ 
"Perhaps,"  she  says,  "you  will  be  interested  to 
know  the  origin  of  the  consecration  hymn,  '  Take 
my  life.'      I  went  for  a  little  visit  of  five  days. 
There  were  ten  persons  in  the  house,  some  un- 
converted and  long  prayed  for,  some  converted 
but  not  all  rejoicing  Christians.    He  gave  me  the 
prayer,    'Lord  give  me  all  in  this  house!'      And 
he  just  did.     Before  I  left  the  house  every  one 
had  got  a  blessing.     The  last  night  of  my  visit  I 
was  too  happy  to  sleep,  and  passed  most  of  the 
night  in  praise  and  renewal  of  my  own  consecra- 
tion, and  these  little  couplets  formed  themselves 
and  chimed  in  my  heart,  one  after  another,  till 
they  finished  with,    'Ever,  only,  all  for  thee!"" 


)  II  \- 


SCRIPTURE  SVMBOLS 


301 


,heir  coiii- 
d  Livmg-^ 
as  to  bury 
ii'cy,  after,- 
n-  and  solo 
0  to  India, 
vian   mis- 1 
king  upon 
rucifixion, 


Lin  offering 
lovod  upon  ' 

Havergal.  ^ 
terested  to 
■mn,  'Take 

five  days. 
3,  some  un- 
!  converted 
;ave  me  the 
ise!'  And 
>  every  one 
f  my  visit  I 
most  of  the 
■n  consecra- 

tliemsclves 
another,  till 


for  theo! 


1 1}  \ 


We  may  not  belittle  the  great  undertakings  of 
Christian  people  during  the  past  centuries.  We 
may  not  forget  the  toil  and  endurance  of  our 
fathers  who  opened  out  these  new  counti-ios  for 
habitation,  but  O,  no  being  can  tell  the  need  of  a 
mighty  motive  power  in  the  activities  to-day. 

Under  this  mighty  inspiration  the  power  of 
endurance  would  be  om-s.  We  hear  very  much  ^ 
to-day  about  the  swift  activities  of  the  day  in 
which  we  live,  but  I  question  if  we  have  begun 
to  realize  the  extent  of  our  powers  of  endurance, 
when  we  are  harmoniously  committed  to  the 
Tjord's  will.  We  do  not  wear  out  with  the  work 
as  we  do  with  the  worry.  This  constant  effort 
to  pump  up  energy  enough  to  keep  us  faithful  is 
enough  to  slay  us,  but  when  the  Holy  Spirit 
comes,  ,^8  a  mighty  motive  power,  to  live  within 
us,  then  our  activities  are  his  activities,  and  the 
sweet  rest  of  the  busy  undertakings  increases 
our  capacity  as  it  does  our  delight. 

The  money  is  about  us,  we  have  the  co-opera- 
tive congeniality  of  an  open  field,  the  world  has 
become  a  neighborhood,  and  no  small  percentage 
of  the  intelligent  people  of  the  heathei  nation.s 
are  fond  of  our  civilization.  Organizations  are 
wonderfully  pei'fected,  and  the  needs  of  humanity 
are  recognized  as  never  before  in  the  history  of 
Christendom.  Yes,  indeed,  the  ships  are  good 
ships,  the  waters  are  good  waters  and  the  course 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


I  ) 


is  a  good  course;  may  the  Lord  send  us  the  pro- 
pelling power. 

The  wind  is  a  very  cleansing  element.  It 
searches  the  garments  hung  out  in  the  open  air, 
cleansing  away  their  impurities  with  its  sweet- 
ness. Indeed,  the  wind  and  the  fire  ard  the 
water  are  all  cleansers,  and  when  God  mani- 
fested himself  to  humanity  in  this  latest,  suprem- 
est  way,  it  was  in  his  plan,  and  it  is  still  there, 
to  make  us  a  people  with  clean  hearts  and  clean 
minds.  No  stains  go  so  deeply  as  stains  in  the 
character,  no  washing  needs  to  be  so  well  done  as 
the  washing  of  the  soul.  The  prayer  of  David 
was  based  upon  soundest  philosophy,  ' '  Wash  me 
throughly  from  mine  iniquity." 

5.  The  last  symbol  to  which  I  mill  call  your 
attention  is  that  of  tfie  seal.  You  know  how 
the  seal  is  used  in  city  and  government 
offices,  in  court  rooms  and  business  houses. 
The  die  bears  some  picture  upon  it,  chosen 
by  those  who  own  it,  and  when  some  docu- 
ment is  to  be  sealed,  melted  wax  is  poured 
over  the  place  and  the  seal  is  firmly  set  down 
upon  the  melted  wax.  The  picture  on  the  die  is 
left  in  the  wax,  and  the  projierty  is  said  to  be 
sealed.  The  use  of  the  wax  was  quite  common  in 
ancient  days.  Great  writings  were  inscribed 
with  the  use  of  a  stilus  in  wax,  covering  the  tops 
of  the  tables.     Here  the  sealing  of  the  document 


SCRIPTURE  HYMDOLS 


808 


is  used  as  a  symbol.  Now,  the  Holy  Spirit  I'op- 
resents  the  seal,  and  \vc  represent  the  wax.  You 
know  in  the  use  of  wax  for  sealing  pui-poses  it  Is 
necessary  to  have  it  thoroughly  heated,  until  it 
is  quite  soft  and  yielding,  otlierwi.se  the  wa.K 
would  break  into  pieces  and  no  impression  would 
be  left.  The  seal  must  also  be  held  firmly,  so  that 
the  impression  becomes  accurate.  Now,  here  is 
the  illustration ;  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  seal  and 
we  are  the  wax.  The  government  of  heaven 
would  claim  us,  and  the  order  is  given  for  the  seal- 
ing. Our  heavenly  Father  is  more  willing  to  give 
llie  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  liini.  than  a 
father  is  to  give  bread  unto  his  children.  Dr.  A. 
J.  Gordon  says  that  when  we  come  to  Christ  for 
pardon  we  set  to  our  seal  that  God  is  true,  but 
when  He  seals  us  with  the  Holy  Spirit  he  asserts 
that  we  are  true.  Have  you,  dear  reader,  this 
double  sealing? 

As  for  the  firmness  of  the  seal,  God  will  care  for 
that;  but  as  for  the  plastic  condition  of  the  wax, 
we  must  see  to  that.  Our  wills  fully  yielding, 
our  affections  cheerfully  assenting,  our  whole 
beings  jirone  in  his  presence,  the  Holy 
Spirit  shall  produce  the  impression.  And 
what  do  you  think  the  picture  on  the 
seal  is  ?  I  think  it  is  the  image  of  Jesus.  For 
"He  that  saith  he  loveth  Him  ought  himself  also 
to  walk  even  as  He  walked,"  and  "This  was  the 


304 


OUT  OF  THE  VAIN-LIFK 


ili 


i 


mystery  which  was  hidden  from  the  ages,  Chri:>t 
in  you  the  hope  of  glory."  Again,  "If  we  have 
borne  the  image  of  the  earthly  we  shall  also  bear 
the  image  of  the  heiivenly." 

And  Paul  continues,  ' '  We  are  sealed  with 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  adoption,"  and  this  is  t/ie 
€<iniest  of  our  inheritance;  that  is,  if  we  are 
sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  adoption  we  have 
the  first  portions  of  the  coming  possessions,  the 
heavenly  wealth.  A  little  piece  of  heaven,  a  slice 
from  the  big  loaf,  has  been  given  us  here;  we  have 
the  foretaste.  Bear  in  mind  that  this  foretaste 
becomes  ours  through  the  sealing  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

In  those  days,  when  a  man  bought  a  flock  of 
sheep,  the  bargain  was  made  and  the  man  who 
sold  them  took  a  piece  of  wool  from  a  sheep"  and 
gave  it  to  the  other,  just  as  a  man  to-day  might 
pay  five  dollars  down  to  bind  the  bargain.  If  a 
man  sold  a  field  in  those  days,  the  man  who 
bought  it  was  to  get  a  bag  of  earth  from  the  field 
as  a  token  of  the  bargain.  Mr.  Haslam  gives  a 
very  interesting  illustration  of  this  in  our  day. 
He  sold  a  large  elm  tree  to  a  deaf  man,  in  Eng- 
land, who  promptly  paid  him  a  shilling.  Placing 
the  amount  in  Mr.  Haslam's  hand  he  shouted, 
"That  is  earnest."  When  he  had  nodded  his  as- 
sent the  deaf  man  repeated  again,  "Mind,  that  is 
earnest."     The  price  of  the  tree  was  ten  pounds. 


SCRIPTURE  SYMBOLS 


;t():. 


Chrir,t 
ve  have 
Iso  beui* 

2d  with 
;  is  the 
we  are 
ive  have 
ons,  the 

I,  a  slice 
we  have 
ore taste 
le   Holy 

flock  of 
lan  who 
eep" and 
y  might 

II.  If  a 
lan  who 
the  field 

gives  a 
)ur  day. 
in  Eng- 

Placing 
shouted, 
d  his  as- 
3,  that  is 

pounds. 


The  shilling  was  not  to  bo  roturiiod,  but  it  was 
part  payment.  Now,  the  upostlo  says  the  Holy 
Spirit  seals  us.  and  that  this  is  the  earnest  of  our 
inheritance  until  the  reward  of  our  purchased 
possession.  Everything  wo  over  get  in  lieaven 
we  are  going  to  get  here.  Lovo,  tlie  love  of  God, 
is  in  heaven,  the  love  of  God  is  in  our  hearts. 
Peace,  the  peace  of  God,  is  in  heaven,  the  peace 
of  God  is  in  our  hearts.  The  joy  of  God  is  in 
heaven,  the  joy  of  the  Lord  is  our  strength.  The 
life  of  God  is  in  heaven,  the  life  of  God  is  here. 
Christ  is  as  able  to  save  me  before  I  die  as  he  ever 
is,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  as  truly  here  as  he  is 
in  heaven.  What  is  this  that  burns  in  my  heart 
and  comes  out  in  expressions  of  praise  ?  Why, 
it  is  a  little  piece  of  heaven.  What  is  this  that 
makes  me  want  to  see  every  one  else  turn  from 
sin?  Why,  it  is  a  little  piece  of  hoHvon.  What  is 
this  which  makes  my  soul  rest  calmly  in  trial? 
Why,it  is  a  little  piece  of  heaven.  "Well,"  said 
the  visitor  to  a  sick  Scotchman,  "you  have  one 
great  comfort,  you  will  soon  be  in  heaven  and  get 
out  of  this  poor,  afflicted  body."  The  old  man 
looked  up  and  smiled  and  said,  "  Heaven!  I  have 
been  Uiere  ten  years  already."  "Kiis  is  pai'adise 
regained.  The  following  taken  from  Rev.  Asa 
Mahan's  book, ' '  Out  of  Darkness  Into  Light, "  sug- 
gests very  happily  this  kind  of  a  heaven  life.  He 
says,    "A  sister   in   Christ,  whom  I  knew  very 


\ 


no6 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIS-UVK 


h\. 


intimately  for  upwards  of  fifteen  years  prior  to 
her  death,  was  when  I  first  saw  her  so  far  from 
Christ  that  she  liad  mei'ely,  as  she  herself  often 
said,  'a  name  to  live, '  She  immediately  sought 
and  obtained  '  the  sealing  and  earnest  of 
the  Spirit.'  From  that  time  until  she  was 
called  home,  '  her  sun  did  not  go  down, 
neither  did  the  moon  withdraw  itself.'  Her  own 
family  and  all  who  knew  her  most  intimately  tes- 
tified that  they  never  witnessed  in  her  an  un- 
Christ-like  act  or  utterance.  In  every  circle  in 
which  she  appeared  her  single  aim  was  to  lead 
sinners  to  Christ,  or  believers  'out  of  darkness 
into  the  marvelous  light  of  Gr>d,'  and  she  had 
•  power  with  God  and  man.'  At  homo  she  was  as 
a  farmer's  wife,  a  model  housekeeper,  and  at  home 
and  in  the  community  her  influence  was  '  as 
ointment  poured  forth.'  All  who  knew  hor  will 
testify  to  the  strictest  accuracy  of  the  above 
statements.  At  one  time  her  husband  employed 
as  a  help  in  his  labors  a  vei'y  bigoted  but  pro- 
fane Irish  Catholic,  who  had  been  taught  from 
infancy  that  out  of  the  Catholic  Church  salvation 
is  impossible.  His  attention  was  soon  arrested, 
however,  by  the  wondrous  serenity  and  sweetness 
of  that  woman's  spii'it  and  conversation.  At  the 
table  he  would  listen  with  the  inteusest  interest 
to  her  conversation  upon  the  love  of  Christ  and 


li. 


SCRIPTURE  SYMBOLS 


80T 


;  prior  to 
I  far  from 
self  often 
ly  sought 
rnest  of 
she    was 

0  down, 
Her  own 

lately  tes- 
er  an  un- 

circle  in 
IS  to  lead 

darkness 

1  she  had 
he  was  as 
d  at  home 

was  ' as 
V  hor  will 
;he  above 
employed 

but  pi'o- 
ght  from 

salvation 

arrested, 
sweetness 
.  At  the 
t  interest 
!hrist  and 


the  beauty  of  holiness.  He  would  frequently 
tarry  after  meals  to  speak  to  the  woman  on  the 
subject.  As  he  had  been  listening  for  some  time 
to  her  conversation  one  day,  he  exclaimed  with 
deep  earnestness,  '  Madame,  you  will  got  to 
heaven  before  you  die. '  That  is  it.  A  little  cor- 
ner of  heaven  in  your  kitchen,  another  little  corner 
in  your  workshop,  another  little  corner  of  heaven 
in  your  store,  and  another  little  corner  in  your 
school  room." 

Then  will  not  heaven  be  wonderfully  more  ? 
Yes,  yes.  We  have  the  little  handful  of  wool, 
but  there  is  the  whole  flock  of  sheep;  we  have  the 
little  bagful  of  earth,  but  there  are  the  great  big 
fields  which  we  could  not  carry  away  in  five  cen- 
turies. O,  yes,  I  get  as  if  the  little  edge  of  the 
thumb-nail  here,  I  get  the  whole  Infinite  nature 
forever  there.  ' '  Now  we  see  as  in  a  glass  darkly, 
then  face  to  face.  Now  I  know  in  part,  then  shall  I 
know  even  as  also  I  am  known."  Nor  is  it  a  rash 
thing  to  say  that  if  I  am  evei*  going  to  call  Christ 
all  in  all  in  heaven,  if  I  am  ever  going  to  be 
awakened  in  his  likeness  to  be  all  in  all  and 
always  his,  I  ought  to  begin  to  get  his  very  own 
life  within  me  at  once  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  May  he  find  our  hearts  so  passive  that  he 
can  stamp  the  Christ  image  upon  our  characters 
and  we  shall  be  sealed.      Then  by  and  by  the  fig- 


808 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


ure,  the  symbol,  shall  not  be  needed,  for  we  shall 
be  no  longer  little  children  in  the  first  grades  of 
the  school,  but  we  shall  graduate  into  the  holy 
business  of  eternity. 


we  shall 
grades  of 
the  holy 


1  I 


"  Every  sin  suffered  to  remain  in  the  hoait  raifps  si 
'»»'ly"  EUJAJI  I'.    IJlJOW.V. 

"  It  is  a  jH'eat  mistake  to  ask  Ood  to  help  uh  to  work; 
wo  should  rather  give  up  ourselves  to  Lini  that  ho  may 
USD  us.  Therefore,  instead  of  our  asking  hiui  to  help 
us,  we  should  understand  that  he  is  asking  us  to  help 
him.  The  work  is  not  ours,  but  his;  and  he  is  the  worker 
or  doer  of  it.  It  matters  little  how  unworthy  the  instru- 
ment, the  great  Lord  can  accomplLsh  his  purpose  with 
it.  The  weak««r  th<<  tool,  the  greater  is  the  glory  of  him 
who  can  produce  successful  results." 

Rev.  Wm   IIa8i,a.m. 

Ye  are  not  your  ovm.    1  Corinthians  vi:19. 

"Be  sure  that  at  the  root  of  all  real  experience  of 
more  grace,  of  all  true  advance  in  consecration,  of  all 
actually  increasing  conformity  to  the  likeness  of  Jesus, 
there  mu,st  be  a  deadness  to  self  that  proves  itself  to  (iod 
and  men  in  our  dispositions  and  habits.  It  is  sadly  pos- 
sible to  speak  of  the  death-life  and  the  Spirit-walk, 
while  even  the  tenderest  love  can  not  but  see  how  much 
there  is  of  self.  The  death  to  self  has  no  surer  death- 
mark  than  a  humility  which  makes  itself  of  no  reputa- 
tion, which  empties  out  itself,  and  takes  the  form  of  a 
servant.  It  is  possible  to  speak  much  and  honestly  of 
fellowship  with  a  despised  and  rejected  Jesus,  and  ( 
bearing  his  cross,  while  the  meek  and  lowly,  the  kind 
and  gentle  humility  of  the  Lamb  of  (Sod  is  not  seen,  is 
scarcely  sought.  The  Lamb  of  (Jod  means  two  things- 
meekness  and  death.  Let  us  seek  to  receive  him  in 
both  forms.  In  him  they  are  inseparable;  they  must 
be  in  us,  too."  Andbev?  Murray. 


Kbown. 


lis  to  work; 
lut  ho  limy 
iui  to  holp 
us  to  holp 
tho  workor 
tho  instni- 
irposo  with 
cry  of  him 

[Iahi.am. 


)erienco  of 
tion,  of  all 
3  of  .Teau8, 
self  to(iod 

sadly  pos- 
pirit-walk, 

how  much 
iror  death- 
no  reputa- 

form  of  a 
lonestly  of 
ua,  and  c 
',  the  kind 
lot  seen,  is 
'o  things — 
ve  him  in 
they  must 

lURRAY. 


NOT  YOUR  OWN. 

\X/e  can  scarcely  be  too  often  reminded  of  the 
prociou.sncss  of  the  thought  that  our  Father 
in  Heaven  knows  all  about  us.  For,  if  any  de- 
fects are  apparent,  he  is  so  able  and  willing  to 
remedy  them.  He  upbraideth  not.  And  if  any 
commendable  conditions  exist  he  will  reward  and 
glorify  them.  We  need  not  fear  his  searching. 
It  is  the  searching  of  love.  Only  let  us  be  in  his 
hands  ])erfectly  passive,  tliat  he  may  search  us 
and  try  us.     What  better  time  than  now? 

I  sometimes  say  that  we  need  barber-shop  con- 
secration. If  men  would  commit  themselves  to 
Christ  as  they  do  to  a  barber  who  shaves  them, 
what  marvelous  results  would  follow.  See  this 
man  in  the  barber's  chair.  He  dare  not  tallf  or 
laugh  or  gesture.  There  he  reclines.  The  bar- 
bel-, perhaps  a  total  stranger  to  him,  proceeds  to 
lather  his  face,  and  then  with  a  keen-edged  knife 
drawn  near  the  eyes  or  over  jugalar  vein,  he 
shaves  the  man,  turning  his  head  as  he  wishes, 
catching  him  by  the  nose  or  efvrs,  pinching  the 
skin  between  his  fingers  and  thumb,  until  finally 
he  gives  him  notice  to  arise  and  go  a  clean-faced 


3!9 


OUT  (tf  THE  CAIXLlfi: 


pilgrini.  Ami  if  j'ow  would  iTnign  yourself  so 
exactly  to  Clirist,  liow  ho  would  clean  you  uj), 
until  the  j)uro  soul  would  .shed  its  li(:;ht  all  over 
the  face.  This  and  nothing  less  tlian  this  is  our 
proper  position  before  God.  The  claim  is  us  gpn- 
tle  ns  it  is  righteous,  "  Yo  arc  not  your  own." 

We  are  not  solf-producers  of  good.  These  con- 
stant supplies  of  provision  and  clothing  are  tlie 
outllo^vings  of  an  infinite  lieart.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  rational  acts  conceivable  to  "a.sk  the  bless- 
ing" at  the  table.  In  many  homes  they  say 
"make  a  beginning"  instead  of  •ask  tlie  bless- 
ing" or  "return  thanks."  There  is  really  no 
other  rational  way  to  make  a  beginning  at  meals 
than  that  of  acknowledging  the  Giver  and  seek- 
ing direction  concerning  that  which  exerts  an  in- 
Huence  so  wide-reaching  and  so  acute,  i  asked 
theliread  where  it  came  from,  and  it  .-^aid  from  the 
Hour-bin.  I  went  to  the  fiour-bin  and  asked  it 
where  broad  came  from.  It  answered  from  the 
mill.  I  asked  the  mill.  It  said  frim  the  mow. 
Then  I  questioned  the  mow,  and  it  .  me  from 
the  field.  Then  in  the  cold  of  win  .or,  when  tlie 
winds  blow  and  the  ice  sheeted  the  earth  like 
armor,  I  asked  of  the  field  where  the  bread  came 
from,  when  it  replied,  God  sends  the  sunshine  and 
tlie  showers,  God  made  the  wheat-germ,  and  in  due 
time  you  will  find  the  wheat  product  here  waving, 
golden  in  the  summer  sun.     God  gives  the  bread. 


tite 


N(yr  voun  owx 


:it:i 


rsclf  so 
you  iij), 
uU  over 
(  is  our 
us  gen- 

)WI1." 

OHccon- 
ure  tlio 
?  of  tho 
le  blcss- 
ley  say 
p  bless- 
nilly  no 
it  mouls 
ncl  sook- 
ts  an  "m- 
l  asked 
From  tho 
askod  it 
rom  the 
le  mow. 
mo  from 
•hen  tlie 
irth  liko 
ad  came 
hine  and 
nd  in  due 
waving, 
le  bread. 


00  tliy  way,  pray  it  again:  "(ilve  us  tliis  day 
our  dally  bread,  "  Flut  man  tilled  for  it.  Yes. 
but  where  did  he  g(!t  tlie  strengtii  and  in^^enuity 
for  toil?  Man  does  not  produce;  lie  gathers,  he 
receives.  And  as  for  the  clothing,  the  sheep 
wear  the  woolens  first,  the  wild  animals  the 
furs,  the  domesticated  animals  Ihe  shoes,  and 
the  fields  the  cottons,  then,  by  the  blessed  provi- 
dential law  of  need  and  supply  they  are  raised  to 
tho  higher  uses  of  man:  for  "Your  heavenly 
Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  these 
things." 

How  prepared  they  were  when  we  came.  What 
hands  received 'us,  what  soft  garments  clothed 
us,  what  provision  sustained  us.  We  were 
received  as  kings'  sons  into  palaces.  Born  re- 
ceivers !  Why  should  we  contest  the  original 
and  uninterrupted  claim  of  God  our  Father. 
There  is  a  phrasu  quite  commonly  used  which 
might  be  substituted  with  a  much  safer  one. 
It  is  this,  "  Take  God  Into  partnership  with  you." 

1  have  two  objections  to  this  expression,  either 
one  of  which  seems  to  be  sufficient  reason  why  a 
better  phrase  should  be  substituted  for  it.  The 
first  objection  is  this:  I  never  produced  anything 
to  deposit  upon  which  I  could  have  a  claim  as 
a  partner.  And  the  second  is  this:  Since  the 
self-life  is  so  truly  a  life,  and  as  s\ich,  so  surely 
assertive;   if  the  Lord  and  I  were  really  part- 


314 


OCT  OF  THE  CAIX-LIFE 


ners,  it  would  not  be  long  before,  instead  of  it  be- 
ing the  Lord  and  I,  it  would  be  I  and  the  Lord. 
No,  no,  the  Lord  is  jirojjrietor.  Let  us  walk- 
right  up  by  fai.th  to  the  first  eoinniandmont  and 
plight  our  loyalty  to  our  God  as  King  and  Master. 
We  are  very  costly  Kind  of  property.  Who  of  js 
can  tell  what  expenditures  are  represented  in  a 
single  soul,  centuries  before  it  appears  on  this 
earth.  Although  we  might  not  be  able  to 
reckon  any  of  these  things  as  dii'ectly  involved 
in  our  being  created,  yet  their  influence 
can  be  directly  traced  in  the  soul  quality 
or  tone  of  character.  Those  ancient  heroes  and 
heroines  who  followed  God  by  faith  until  He  spoke 
in  plain  terms  of  peace  and  assurance  to  them, 
they  lived  for  me.  Those  faithful  ones  who 
veered  not  from  the  holy  way  when  lions,  and 
fires  and  dungeons  were  called  into  requisition  to 
slay  their  faith,  those  teachable  sacrificers,  who 
felt  the  winds  of  earth  blow  about  their  cheeks  as 
they  do  about  mine,  and  knew  in  them  the  sym- 
bol of  a  life  of  triumph.  These  all  lived  for  me. 
No  patriarch  who  went  out  to  sacrifice  to  God 
but  he  did  it  for  me.  No  prophet  told  the  :nes- 
sage  of  God  but  he  told  it  for  me.  No  P^Mlmist 
sang  the  praise  of  God  but  the  melody  was  for 
me.  And  the  dear  Christ  poured  out  his  life  a 
holy,  perfect  sacrifice  for  me.  Verily,  it  is  as  if 
all  the  goodness  of  the  past,  like  raillions  of  con- 


'4w. 


'E 


NOT  YOUR  OWN 


SIR 


istead  of  it  bc- 
ind  the  Lord. 
Let  us  walk 
nundmciit  and 
ig  and  Master, 
ty.  Who  of  j.s 
jvesented  in  a 
)pears  on  this 
t  be  able  to 
ectly  involved 
heir    influence 

soul  quality 
jnt  heroes  and 
until  He  spoke 
ranee  to  thera, 
iful  ones  who 
hen  lions,  and 
I  requisition  to 
acrificers,  who 
their  cheeks  as 
them  the  syin- 

lived  for  me. 
icrifice  to  God 
i  told  the  :nes- 
No  PsMlmist 
nelody  was  for 
1  out  his  life  a 
rily,  it  is  as  if 
iiillions  of  con- 


verging lines,  came  to  an  electric  focus  at  the 
very  center  of  my  vast  heart-needs.  As  to  the 
sin  and  misery,  God  has  pressed  upon  us  the 
privilege  of  the  loss  of  all  that  any  day,  and  as 
for  the  inheritance  of  grace,  it  is  our  wealth  now 
for  the  asking.  Vast  vaults  filled  with  loving 
providence,  why  should  I  be  boi'n  in  these  days  of 
their  outpoured  wealth  ? 

Then  there  is,  in  our  immediate  history,  that 
expenditure  of  care  and  prayer,  of  patience  and 
toil,  of  forgiveness  and  fidelity,  of  which  father 
and  mother  seem  inexhaustibly  possessed.  To 
come  to  the  plainest  terms,  how  often  we 
wounded  their  righteous  sensibilities,  how  often 
she  especially  went  alone  and  wept  over 
our  ingratitude.  They  reproved  us,  they  apolo- 
gized for  us.  they  pi-acticed  the  very  insistence 
of  mercy,  and  out  of  the  fullness  of  their  sweet  af- 
fection complemented  that  which  needed  some 
kind  of  a  spiritual  microscope  to  detect  any  merit 
in  it.  And  those  school  teachers  and  tutors  ! 
How  the  heat  of  their  toil  dried  up  the  very  life- 
springs  as  they  taught  us  the  very  same  thing 
over  and  over  again.  They  fought  ignorance  on 
its  own  field,  while  no  brass  band. roused  their 
chivalry  with  music.  They  said  that  our  voices 
were  musical.  And  even  this  frail  compliment 
roused  our  conceit  until  we  were  again  worse  in- 
grates  than  before.      Then  some  new  hardship 


;5H) 


OIT  OF  THE  VAlS-Llb'E 


!« 


ii 


■  ■  1 


again  taxed  the  patient  teacher's  assistance,  and 
we  galloped  away  like  unbrolcen  colts  until  sorae- 
thiu}^  broke,  perhaps  our  temper,  and  we  ran 
away  in  a  fury.  So  costly!  They  suy  to  the  mis- 
sionary, "How  can  you  endure  those  coarse  and 
ignorant  peoples  and  tribes  ?  "  The  missionary 
looks  at  Jesus  and  says.  -How  can  they  endure 
me  ?  "  And  so  it  is.  Wliat  words  of  mine  yet 
stay  festering,  like  poisoned  daggers,  in  the  hearts 
of  those  whom  I  have  wounded.  What  frowns, 
what  tones  of  voice,  what  evident  ingratitude, 
what  bitter  criticism,  have  called  out  the  tolerance 
of  a  multitude  for  me  alone.     So  costly! 

Nor  dare  we  fail  to  mention  again,  though  so 
briefly,  the  redemption  which  Jesus  provides: 
Do  not  imagine  that  he  shrank  back  from  the 
ctTort.  Do  not  slander  Christ  as  reluctant. 
People  say  that  it  was  wonderful  for  him  to  come 
and  sutTer  and  die.  Not  from  his  stand- 
point. Jesus  could  not  be  Jesus  did  he 
not  deliglit  in  the  sacrificial.  When  he  seemed  to 
hold  his  life  as  if  some  parcel  in  his  hands  he 
said,  '•  I  lay  down  my  life  of  myself;  I  have  power 
to  lay  it  down,  and  I  have  power  to  take  it  again. " 
Atjain  he  said,  "  The  Son  of  man  came  not  to  be 
ministered  unto  but  to  minister  and  to  give  his 
life  a  ransom  for  many."  There  were  incidents 
connected  with  this  which  he  would  have  pass 
from  him.  but  never  the  sacrifice,  so  long  as  he 


XOT  YOUR  OWX 


3n 


tunce,  and 
Jiitil  some- 
k1  we  run 
to  the  mis - 
L'oarse  and 
missionary 
lioy  endure 
f  mine  yet 
I  the  hearts 
at  frowns, 
1  gratitude, 
le  tolerance 

though  so 
provides: 
from  the 
reluctant, 
lim  to  come 
his  stand- 
s  did  he 
e  seemed  to 
s  hands  he 
have  power 
;c  it  again."' 
e  not  to  be 
to  give  his 
e  incidents 
have  pass 
long  as  he 


bears  the  title  "The  Lamb  of  G(«l.  '  l]ut  the 
cost  of  our  redemption — who  can  tell  it?  As  the 
Rev.  F.  B.  Meyer  has  said,  "Every  disc  of  the 
Saviour's  blood  was  so  much  coin  in  the  price 
paid."  Earth  never  can  reckon,  and  heaven's 
programme  contemplates  an  eternal  reckoning 
upon  this  theme  of  themes. 

But  more.  We  are  very  destructive  beings.  We 
have  battered  down  walls  of  defense  and  dug  out 
channels  of  destruction.  Hopes  and  joys,  faiths  and 
charities,  have  fallen  before  us.  A  man  might 
well  turn  to  Chnst  and  fight  against  sin  during 
the  centuries  to  come  if  he  might  only  lessen  the 
total  amount  of  human  wrong.  Perhaps  you  re- 
])ented  at  the  age  of  thirty  and  have  for  some 
years  been  in  the  way  of  life ;  but,  my  friend,  there 
are  those  who  took  their  first  glass  of  intoxicants 
or  trampled  upon  virtue  first  through  your  influ- 
ence, yonder  in  asylums  or  penitentiaries.  There 
then  the  seed  you  sowed  is  bearing  its  fruit. 
They  are  in  death.  The  pity  of  it!  Christian, 
what  price  would  you  not  willingly  pay  if  you 
could  dry  up  the  poisoned  stream  of  events.  Bui 
there  it  keeps  flowing  on  a  constant  testimony  to 
your  destructiveness.  Ah,  if  the  accounts  were 
balanced  so  that  all  that  appears  of  a  redeeming 
nature  were  placed  to  our  credit,  and  all  that 
which  has  been  destructive  placed  upon  the  debit 
side   of    the    account,    then    we   are   bankrupts. 


a. 


For   see,    the   self -life,    the   spirit,   the    tone   of 
our  actions,  is    as    apparent  before  God  as  the 
rumbling   of   riusketry   or  the  sweep   of  a  tor- 
nado.     In    the    stillness    of   the    why    and    the 
how  of  life  our  God  is  looking.     And  motives 
are  very  heavy  commodities  in  the  moral  realm. 
The  man  who  meant  to  break  your  flowers  down  is 
guilty,  but  the  man  who  came  as  a  friend  to  vl  ''. 
you  and  stumbled  over  them  in  the  dark,  ho  is  not 
guilty.     It  is  the  motive  that  made  it.     One  bad 
motive    outweighs    a  hundred  apparently    good 
outward  acts.      "  It  is  the  bein'  of  it,"  said  Uncle 
Tom  to  Cassey  when  she  would  discourage  him  as 
he  suffered  fi'om  the  severe  whipping  ordered  by 
Clarence,  because  he  (the  hero)  refused  to  whip 
the  other  slaves. 

Now,  what  a  wonder  of  grace,  when  ths  holy  God 
takes  us,  the  non-producing,  costly,  destructive 
beings,  to  be  all  his  own,  saying:  "Ye  are  not 
your  own." 

Neither  our  things  nor  ourselves  are  ours.  One 
has  come  with  the  hand  of  mastery  to  gather  up 
the  destructive  and  put  it  to  divinest  uses.  Try- 
ing to  manage  ourselves  we  are  like  fire  let  loose. 
God  managing  us,  we  are  "cities  set  on  hills 
whose  lights  can  not  be  hid."  Come,  now,  let  us 
present  ourselves  without  a  question  or  perad- 
venture  to  our  God. 

It  is  idle  to  say,  I  did  so  years  ago.     Do  so  now. 


K 


the  tone  of 
B  God  as  the 
>cp  of  a  tor- 
i^hy  and  the 
And  motives 
moral  realm, 
lowers  down  is 
friend  to  vl  ''. 
dark,  he  is  not 
!  it.  One  bad 
lareiitly  goofi 
t,"  said  Uncle 
ourage  him  as 
11  g  ordered  by 
fused  to  whip 

n  th3  holy  God 

f,   destructive 

"Ye  are  not 

ire  ours.  One 
'  to  gather  up 
st  uses.  Try- 
;e  fire  let  loose. 
js  set  on  hills 
tie,  now,  let  us 
tion  or  perad- 

0.     Do  so  now. 


IWT  YOUR  OWX 


:u'.t 


There  is  more  of  you  to-day  than  ever  boforo. 
Malce  the  dedication  without  wavering  and 
take  your  hands  off  of  the  offering.  Let  it  go  to 
whom  it  belongs.  Be  the  property  of'God  with 
the  ut-most  of  your  will  and  tlie  completcst  agree- 
ment of  your  affections.  Give  .  ^",+0  God.  Ah. 
yes,  there  is  the  phrase  we  hear  so  often  and  find 
so  unwelcome:  "Give  up,  give  up.'  Must  T 
give  up  this  habit  and  that  enjoyment,  this  fond- 
ness and  tliat  am.us«jment,  must  I  give  up?  Hear 
me  patiently.  I  know  something  of  the  meaning 
of  that  sad  cry  of  the  soul,  as  if  every  new  demand 
of  tlie  Gospel  of  Christ  were  a  bereavement.  I  have 
felt  that  that  pitiable  loss  was  j  ust  a  step  before  me. 
I  looked  tiirough  the  windows  from  the  distance 
anJ  from  the  outside  of  the  building,  and  I  saw  no 
light,  no  beauty,  within  the  temple.  Yes,  I  have 
felt  this.  They  asked  me  to  give  up,  but  could  I 
not  be  saved  without  this  extreme  rule.  There 
was  the  difficulty,  I  did  not  see  what  it  meant  to 
be  saved.  To  be  saved.  Does  that  mean  to  gain 
heaven  and  escape  ruin?  Never.  Heaven  and 
hell  are  involved  in  the  question,  but  to  be  saved 
is  to  get  the  Life,  the  Christ-life,  to  know  Christ, 
to  love  Christ,  to  live  Christ.  And  to  be  lost  is 
to  live  for  self.  Heaven  is  thrown  in  with  the 
life,  just  as  the  color  comes  with  the  oranges  when 
you  buy  them.  You  do  not  go  to  the  store  to  ( 
buy   the    beautiful    color;    you    buy   the    fruit. 


320 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


the  color  is  thrown  in.  So  here  you  do  not 
become  a  Cliristiau  to  go  to  heaven.  You  be- 
come a  Christian,  a  Christ-i-an,  because 
Christ  charms,  your  soul,  then  incidentally 
he  says,  "Great  is  your  reward  ia  heaven." 
Heaven  is  thrown  in  with  the  salvation. 

They  tell  u.s  that  we  do  not  preach  hell-fire  as 
they  used  to  preach  it.  I  reckon  that  the  state- 
niont  is  very  pertinent.  We  are  not  so  much 
concerned  to  keep  the  people  out  of  perdition  as 
we  are  to  get  perditio-i  out  of  the  people,  and  we 
are  not  so  much  concerned  to  get  people  into 
heaven  as  we  are  to  get  heaven  into  the  people. 
This  change  of  expi'ession  in  the  pulpits  is  but  a 
placing  of  the  emphasis  where  it  belongs,  that  is, 
upon  Christ  rather  than  upon  destiny.  Given  a 
Christly  soul,  and  destiny  is  demonstrated. 
Given  a  man  who  prays  and  sings  and  gives  and 
vows  and  preaches,  but  is  not  Christly — is  not 
Christized,  and  no  conceivable  destiny  could 
make  a  heaven  for  him.  One  may  be  con- 
ceived to  seek  heaven  as  a  miser  would  seek 
gold,  employing  the  same  avai'ice  and  the  same 
eagerness,  but  we  know  full  well  th  \t  no  streets 
of  gold  and  no  gates  of  pearl  and  no  songs 
of  praise,  literal  or  figurative,  would  make  a 
heaven  to  a  soul,  without  the  eternal  wealth 
of  the  Christ-life  pouring  into  I'le  being.  There- 
fore, beloved.  I  would  not  have  you  give  up  with 


M   if 


ou  do  not 

You  be- 

because 

icidentally 

heaven." 

I. 

hell-fire  as 
the  state- 
so  much 
■rdition  as 
le,  and  we 
eople  into 
!ie  people, 
ts  is  but  a 
fs,  that  is, 
Given  a 


onstrated. 

gives  and 

y — is   not 

iny    could 

r  be    con- 

rould  seek 

the  same 

no  streets 

no  songs 

d   make  a 

lal  wealth 

r.     There- 

vc  up  with 

;              ••              . 

XOT  I'OUR  OWS 


331 


your  thought  mainly  upon  saving  your  soul. 
But  forfeit  self,  forfeit  all,  for  Christ,  juit  for 
Christ  himself.  Jesus  will  charm  your  .soul.  In. 
quire  for  liis  beauty,  look  upon  him  with  the 
spirit's  eyes,  study  him,  yield  to  him:  he  will 
charm  you. 

When  will  \vc  learn  that  to  deny  self  is  to  in- 
dulge ourselves?  To  be  poor  in  spirit  is  to 
inherit  the  earth.  Give  up?  Yes,  give  up.  The 
old  tree  stood  straight  and  high  in  the  forest, 
the  lumberman  came  along  and  made  it  give 
up  the  great  chips  or  the  sawdust  at  tl'.' 
trunk,  until  it  fell  down  with  a  crash. 
Then  it  must  give  up  its  limbs  to  be  sawed  into 
logs.  Next  they  passed  it  through  the  saw-mill, 
until  it  gave  up  a  slabon  this  side  and  another  on 
that,  and  still  another  and  another.  Poor 
thing,  it  is  not  half  as  large  as  it  was  when  it 
went  into  the  mill,  but  it  is  straightor  and 
smoother  and  more  useful.  And  now  they  make 
it  give  up  more  saw-dust  until  it  is  of  the  right 
size,  a  timber  to  be  planed.  They  take  it  to  the 
planing  mill.  Here  it  gives  up  more  shavings 
than  a  child  can  carry  away  in  a  basket.  And 
now  the  carver  has  it.  Chip  after  chip,  coarser 
and  finer,  are  given  up,  curves  and  circles  and 
right  lines  have  been  cut,  until  at  last  the  sand 
paper  is  applied  and  the  stick  gives  up  the  small 
dust  as  a  last  demand  of  the  ski"  and  art  and  wis- 


(^ 


323 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIX-LTFE 


dom  which  fitted  it  for  a  pillar  in  the  great  tem- 
ple. By  giving  up  it  gained  its  ranlc  and  worth. 
GckI  wants  to  beautify  us,  and  he  will  fulfill  it  if 
we  will  l)ut  ' '  give  up. "  Ho  knows  what  we  should 
do  and  where  we  should  be,  make  up  your  mind 
to  this.  The  Lord  knows  how  to  make  the  best 
possible  out  of  you,  and  the  plan  is  revealed  in 
the  Christ-life.  Hester  Ann  Rogers  was  so  in- 
tense in  her  determination  to  perfectly  admit  the 
claim  of  the  Lord  upon  her  life  that  she  retired  to 
her  room  and  cut  her  hair  short  and  ripped  up 
some  of  her  choice  dresses,  for  she  had 
been  so  vain  about  her  hair  and  her  dresses.  And 
when  she  came  to  that  place  where  she  could  say 
Christ  is  all,  go  dearest  things,  great  or  little, 
go ,  give  me  the  Holy  Spirit,  then  the  blessed 
life  began  to  pour  into  her  soul  from  the  highest, 
and  she  knew  a  heavenly  charm.  She  meant  it 
and  she  recei  ved  it.  Not  your  own.  Not  your 
own. 

There  may  be  no  such  question  involved  in 
your  giving  up  to  Christ,  but  it  may  be  something 
more  simple  than  this,  rather  than  something 
more  abstruse.  Satan  is  an  economist.  He  will 
not  use  a  rod  when  a  green  blade  of  grass  or  a 
feather  will  answer  his  purpose. 

Blessed  condition,  not  my  own,  not  my  own 
The  claim  is  made,  the  control  is  granted. 


Mi 


great  tem- 
aiid  worth. 

fulfill  it  if 
it  we  should 
I  youi'  mind 
ike  the  best 
revealed  in 

was  so  in- 
y  admit  the 
e  retired  to 
d  ripped  up 
'  she  had 
jsses.  And 
le  could  say 
It  or  little, 
the  blessed 
he  highest, 
e  meant  it 
Not  your 

involved  in 
e  something 

something: 
It.     He  will 

grass  or  a 

ot  my  own 
ated. 


A'OT  YOUR  OWN 


8«t 


"  All,  yos  all,  I  givo  to  Jesus. 
It  belongs  to  him." 

He  hath  taken  me  (not  merely  my  things),  he 
hath  taken  me,  yea  he  hath  hidden  me  in  Cod,  for 
does  he  not  say,  "  Your  lives  are  hid  with  Christ 
in  God."  A  friend  of  mine  illustrates  those 
A  ords  by  placing  a  little  text-ticket  between  the 
leaves  of  a  small  thin  Testament  and  then  placing 
the  Testament  between  the  leaves  of  a  great 
Bible.     Then  it  is  hidden  away  in  holy  truth. 

Are  you  ready  ?  Soul  of  uncounted  worth,  are 
you  ready?  Then  do  not  simply  say  "yes,"  as 
Peter  said,  "Though  all  men  forsake  thee  yet  will 
not  I,"  but  pause  and  say,  Thou  Holy  Spirit  of 
God,  who  dost  know  how  much  there  is  to  me  as 
a  redeemed  soul,  take  an  account  of  all  that  there 
is  involved  in  my  life,  and  now,  even  now,  give  me 
grace  to  bring  the  last  little  thing  to  thee.  This 
I  do  in  Jesus'  name.     Amen, 


Ii 


r.; 


ilid 


m 

i '  i 


te«<»«&*tu-%i«^r.«»*«»^*.wl«<«'!l»--*>i>*iwS>«(K^^  ji«rtltnWfaiAwaiBi.«ijtaai1S^ffiiyW^^ 


RECEIVING  THE  HOLY 
SPIRIT. 


J 


II  w 


"  I  know  Josus,  and  ho  was  vi>ry  proolous  to  my  bouI; 
but  I  found  sonu'lhinjf  in  me  that  would  not  keep 
patient  and  kind.  1  did  what  I  could  to  koop  It  down, 
but  it  was  tbiTi'.  1  hcsought  .Icsuh  to  do  something  for 
mo,  and  when  I  ffavo  him  my  will  ho  came  into  my 
heart  and  cast  out  all  that  would  not  bo  sweet,  all  that 
would  not  bo  kind,  all  that  would  not  be  patient,  and 
then  ho  shut  the  door."  Oboiuie  Fox. 

"  Oe  nut  drunkm  with  whic,  wherein  In  riot,  but  be  filled 
with  the  .S;>/Wr"— Ephosians,  v:  18. 

"The  real  battle  in  the  Christian  life  is  with  self, 
and  there  is  no  place  In  it  in  which  what  Rutherford 
calls  that  'housi-dovil  of  self  is  more  apt  to  hldo  away 
than  In  the  pocket-book."  Du.  T.  L.  CuvLEB. 

"Now,  I  think  in  regard  to  our  being  filled  with  the 
Spirit,  of  course  it  is  a  gift.  The  command,  '  Be  flllod,' 
implies  the  willingness  of  God  to  give  the  Spirit,  so  we 
must  begin  to  anticipate.  Why,  the  hope  of  it  will  lift 
you  up.     So  Charles  Wesley  wrote: 

'  It  lifts  me  up  to  things  above. 
It  boars  on  eagle's  wings.'  " 

Maroabet  Bottoms. 


to  my  soul  j 
1  not  keep 
«'P  It  down, 
iietbing  for 
fie  Into  my 
!et,  all  that 
)atlont,  and 
U(iK  Fox. 

but  be  filled 


I  with  self, 
Rutherford 
hide  away 

CUYLEB. 

)d  with  the 

'  Be  flllod,' 

}irit,  so  we 

it  will  lift 


lOTTOMX. 


RECEIVING  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 

r^o  I  HEAR  some  ono  say,  "A!i!  this  is  what  I 
'-^  want  to  hoar.  Toll  us  how  to  roceivo  him. 
The  need,  I  admit  it,  and  "1  would  ruthor  be  full 
of  distress  than  thus  empty."  Explain  it  as 
thoroughly  as  you  can,  giving  the  Ins  and  outs 
of  this  and  that  truth  until  I  soe  It  oloaras  the 
noon-day  sun.  Then  inimediatoly  T  wil!  act,  and 
I  shall  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit." 

But  there  Is  the  didiculty.  We  want  some  one  to 
describe  the  way.  Dear  soul,  he  will  do.scrlbc  the 
way  for  you.  Ask  him.  The  details  of  expression, 
very  dear  to  one  soul,  may  become  the  most  danger- 
ous snares  to  another  soul.  Go  to  his  ov/n  word. 
Do  not  allow  yourself  to  oven  hint  at  such  a  thing 
as  that  you,  or  any  other  human  being,  can  be 
more  concerned  about  finding  the  fullness  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  than  he  is  about  our  finding  it.  Every- 
where the  admission  of  the  great  need  is  readily 
expi'essod,  but  so  often  the  eager  determination 
of  faith  to  i-ecelve  Is  totally  wanting. 

A  very  evident  reason  for  this   Is  In   the  fact 
that  away  down  In  the  depths  of  our  beings  there 


1  li 

I    I'i 


338 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIN-LIFE 


lives  a  falsehood.  We  may  be  slow  to  admit  it, 
and  if  we  were  going  to  write  out  a  general  state- 
ment of  our  convictions  and  characteristics  we 
would  not  place  the  record  concerning  this  -false- 
hood in  the  list,  but  under  the  searching  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  it  becomes  very  evident.  Indeed,  a 
little  deep,  quiet  thinking  will  manifest  it  to  most 
souls.  Even  those  common,  every-day  undertak- 
ings which  belong  to  our  lives  reveal  that  we  do 
not  df-e.ply  believe  in  God  as  the  present,  perfect 
God.  We  do  not  believe  in  his  love,  we  do  not 
believe  that  he  cares  for  us,  we  do  not  believe 
that  he  is  really  with  us.  We  can  argue  with 
ourselves  and  say  it  is  so,  and  his  own  v/itness  will 
give  force  to  the  argument,  but  the  falsehood  as- 
serts itself  again.  It  will  not  down !  Do  we  not  fear 
to  trust  him,  and  do  we  not  actually  beliQve,  for  in- 
stance, that  toil  is  a  disaster?  O,  sad  infidelity. 
Is  this  the  reason  why  the  Holy  Spirit  is  called 
"the  Spirit  of  Truth,"  the  opposite  to  the  false- 
hood? When  he  is  cherished  in  all  the  deeps  of  the 
being  the  falsehood  dies  out.  Fear  and  doubt  and 
complaining  take  their  flight ,  and  the  new  truth 
is  cherished  in  their  stead. 

Now,  the  conflict  is  with  that  old  falsehood.  In 
so  far  as  we  cherish  the  spirit  of  complete  sub- 
mission to  the  Holy  Ghost  we  gain  victory  over 
the  falsehood,  b\it  wo  are  to  come  to  that  condi- 
tion where  we  so  abandon  ourselves  to  him  that 


.IFE 


RECEIVmO  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT 


329 


low  to  admit  it, 
;  a  general  state- 
aracteristics  we 
Tning  this -false- 
searching  of  the 
dent.  Indeed,  a 
anifest  it  to  most 
I'y-day  undertak- 
eveal  that  we  do 
present,  perfect 
love,  we  do  not 
do  not  believe 
can  argue  with 
own  v/itness  will 
the  falsehood  as- 
i !  Do  we  not  fear 
ly  beliQve,  for  in- 
3,  sad  infidelity. 
f  Spirit  is  called 
lite  to  the  false- 
,1  the  deeps  of  the 
ar  and  doubt  and 
id  the  new  truth 

Id  falsehood.  In 
)f  complete  sub- 
;ain  victory  over 
tie  to  that  condi- 
ves  to  him  that 


the  falsehood  is  turned  out  of  the  being,  and  the 
very  truth  of  God  is  firmly  settled  in  the  cleansed 
heart.  It  is  astonishing  what  new  light  this  will 
throw  upon  life's  trials.  The  idea  of  a  man  say- 
ing that  he  glories  in  tribulation!  How  could  it 
be?  Ah,  that  can  never  be  seen  until  the  false- 
hood of  fear  is  gone  out  and  in  its  place  lives  the 
Spirit  of  Truth,  working  Patience  and  Experience 
and  Hope  through  the  tribulation. 

Resolution  will  not  do  this.  Many  people  ad- 
mire a  holy  life,  but  never  will  admiration  bring 
it.  Admiration  is  not  resolution.  Resolution  is 
not  faith,  and  faith  is  not  the  Holy  Spirit.  Ad- 
miration may  lead  to  resolution,  resolution  to 
faith,  and  faith  in  turn  lay  claim  to  Him  But 
right  there  lays  the  stepping  stone  to  our  victory. 
We  are  to  receive  Him. 

An  easy  way  of  consecration  is  a  false  way. 
If  it  be  simple  to-day  it  will  be  more  abstruse  to- 
morrow. Some,  who  find  the  more  difficult  ele- 
ments of  consecration  when  they  for  the  first 
time  seek  Jesus,  seem  to  enter  into  the  blessed 
and  full  reception  of  the  Holy  Spirit  then  and 
there.  But  no  responsible  man  or  woman  can  re- 
alize that  deep  and  thorough  dedicafion  who  has 
not  been  willing  to  let  the  divine  One  search  the 
soul  to  its  depths.  Do  not  say  "  I  am  consecrated 
fully  to  God.  Such  moments  of  ecstacy  as  I  have 
could  not  come  to  me  otherwise. ' '     Let  the  Holy 


330 


OUT  OF  THE  CAiy-LIFE 


Spirit  searcii  you.  Die,  die  to  self.  Count  no 
costs.  Seek  no  personal  advantajros  Let  the 
Cain-life  die.  The  quest  for  tlie  riches  of  God 
monopolizes  all  other  quests.  Rich  or  poor, 
young  or  old,  loved  or  hated,  let  us  die. 

Is  your  temper  the  stumbling-block  ?     Murder, 
we  seek  to  put  away  from  us  as  far  as  possible. 
If  any  one  should  say  that  a  murder  had  been 
committed  in  the  next  street  from  our  home,  and 
we  should  learn  in  an  hour  that  it  was  done  in 
the  avenue  by  the  same  name  twenty  blocks  away, 
wc  should  say,  ••  I  am  glad  it  was  not  right  in  our 
neighborhood."     This  viciousness  of  temper  be- 
longs to  the  murder-spirit;  it  is  a  remainder  of 
the  Cain-life.     The  Holy  Spirit  will  give  us  not 
only  to  have  it  subdued,  but  to  have  it  rooted  out 
and  cast  far,  far  away  from  us,  the  farther  the 
better.     Not  the  temper,    but   the   viciousness. 
For  the  temper  is  to  the  life  what  the  tension  is 
to  the  bow  or  what  the  tone  is  to  the  harp.  When 
the  tension  is  correct  the  bend  of  the  bow  is 
pleasing,  and  when  the  tone  is  correct  the  harp 
will  respond  to  its  master,  but  let  the  bow  be  so 
limp  that  it  will  not  spring,  or  so  still  that  it 
will  break,  and  it  is  a  failure;  likewise  a  harp 
without  tone  would  respond  melodiously  to  the 
touch  of  no  master.     Do  not  pray  to  have  the 
temper  broken.     Give  it  over  to  the  unfailing 
Temper-Keeper,  whose  name  is  Love. 


tWI*'^ 


E 

If.  Count  no 
nres  Let  the 
liches  of  God 
lich  or  poor, 
i  die. 

ck  ?  Murder, 
ar  as  possible, 
•der  had  been 
our  home,  and 
;  was  done  in 
y  bloclcs  away, 
LOt  right  in  our 
of  temper   be- 

remainder  of 
ill  give  us  not 
e  it  I'ooted  out 
he  farther  the 
le   viciousness. 

the  tension  is 
he  harp.  When 
of  the  bow  is 
rrect  the  harp 

the  bow  be  so 
so  still  that  it 
ike  wise  a  harp 
odiously  to  the 
ly  to  have  the 
)  the  unfailing 
ovc. 


RECEIVIKO  THE  HOLY  HPIIUT 


331 


Beware  that  your  heart  is  not  set  upon  circum- 
stances instead  of  Christ.  One  given  to  com- 
plaining may  become  cheerful  and  affable  and  re- 
main so  for  months  because  some  one  has  prom- 
ised him  a  trip  over  the  mountains.  This  pron)- 
ise  throws  music  into  that  life  in  less  than  an 
hour.  But  has  his  motive  necessarily  been 
changed?  And  will  this  kind  of  cheer  and  affa- 
bility abide  the  stress  of  the  years?  Is  it  not  the 
joy  of  self-delight  instead  of  the  joy  of  the  Lord? 

Thank  God,  His  joy  is  very  apparent  in  the  many 
young  and  old  people  who  have  left  the  outing 
and  the  comfortable  home  for  sacrificial  service 
in  mission  fields  of  the  great  cities  near  and 
distant,  and  whose  pure,  rich  joy  delights 
in  weariness  and  in  enduring  the  cross  for 
others. 

What  does  it  matter  to  one  entirely  given  over 
to  Christ  and  living  in  true  fellowship  with  him, 
ready  to  perfect  obedience,  whether  he  appears 
to  be  in  prosperity  or  not?  Suppose  he  to-day 
should  receive  ten  thousand  dollars  as  a  gift.  He 
knows  that  he  is  no  richer  than  befoi*e.  He 
knows  that  in  less  than  an  hour  he  may  be  re- 
quired to  give  it  all  over  for  the  building  of  an 
orphanage  or  for  the  carrying  of  the  Gospel  to 
the  neediest  or  for  some  similar  service.  Money 
or  lands  could  not  make  him  richer.  There  is  one 
kind  of  riches  to  him,   that  which  endures  and 


f' 


itllllll 


■  .  hir  ( 

'■'.'l'!l:i 


OUT  OF  THE  CAINLIFE 


glorifies,  even  "the  I'iches  of  grace  ii:  Jesus 
Christ."  The  possessions  are  only  the  peelings 
around  the  new  opportunity,  and  it  may  be  neces- 
sary for  the  Lord  to  strip  off  the  wrappings  so 
as  to  get  at  the  opportunity  for  us,  or  it  may  be 
that  we  can  use  it  like  apples,  peelings  and  all. 
It  matters  not  which  way  to  such  a  one,  for 
he  knows  that  neither  his  joy  nor  his  sorrow 
comes  from  these  things.  He  worships  the  dear 
will  of  his  God.  '<I  get  what  I  want,"  said  a 
ChriL'tiau  lady,  "because  I  want  my  Master's 
will." 

Can  you  this  day  step  out  beyond  the  last  old 
entanglement  and  say:  "Lord,  give  me  thy  will." 
Can  you?  Then,  hear  him  say  to  you,  "  Be  filled 
with  the  Spirit."  Are  you  sometimes  compli- 
menting yourself  upon  your  respectability  or 
achievements  or  possessions  or  health?  Abandon 
them  all  to  the  blessed  Lord  and  do  not  wait  to 
cast  a  lingering  look  upon  your  idols.  Said  Miss 
Havergal :  "I  think  this  very  sense  of  not 
having  gifts  is  the  best  and  most  useful  gift 
of  them  all."  And  Paul:  "As  having  nothing 
and  yet  possessing  all  things."  Our  very  out- 
fit gets  into  our  way.  "Let  us  lay  aside  every 
weight." 

Pleasing  our  Father  becomes  the  rapture  of  the 
fully  consecrated  soul.  Havin^'  the  disapproval  of 
others  when  he  knows  he  pleases  God  is  no  moro 


"«»■ 


liEfKlVIXO  THE  HOLY  SrililT 


333 


ice  ii;  Jesus 
the  peelings 
nay  be  neces- 
a'appings  so 
)r  it  may  be 
ings  and  all. 
1  a  one,  for 
'  his  sorrow 
lips  the  dear 
ant,"  said  a 
ny   Master's 

the  last  old 
ne  thy  will." 
i,  "Be  filled 
mes  corapli- 
jctability  or 
?     Abandon 

not  wait  to 
Said  Miss 
snse  of  not 
useful  gift 
ing  nothing 
IV  very  out- 
■  aside  every 

ipture  of  the 
sapproval  of 
1  is  no  more 


to  him  than  if  a  man  sooking  for  ivory  in  Africa 
should  bring  home  a  ship-load  of  the  treasures 
and  lose  a  coat-button  in  the  uttiuipt.  Come, 
then,  to  the  great  moment  wlii-.h  eternity  will 
celebrate,  and  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  his  fullness 

Come  as  Abraham  did.     He  had  become  the  . 
man  of  faith.      He  had  believeu  God  when  all  na- 
ture seemed  opposed  to  it.     The  great  promise 
had  been  given,  but  a  new  test  must  be  applied. 
He  must  take  his  only  son  Isaac  :Md  go  at  the 
Lord's  command  up  into  the  mountain  and  obey 
the  orders  given.     See  him!     O,    the  struggle. 
His  son  follows   hesitatingly  with  him,   saying: 
"Where  is  the  lamb?"     He  answers:  "My  son, 
God  will  provide  himself  a  lamb  for  the  olTering." 
Go  on,  Abraham,  go  to  the  end  of  self.     How  his 
hand  must  have  trembled  as  he  built  that  altar, 
but  how  much  more  as  he  binds  his  son  and  places 
him  on  it.      Will  he  kill  him,  will  he  kill  his  own 
boy?     And  will  the  Lord  allow  him  to  do  it?     In 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  we  read:    "He  ac- 
counted that  God  was  able  to  raise  him  from  the 
dead,  which  also  he  did,  in  a  figure."      The  knife 
is  raised  above  the  child.      Poor  child.      Poor 
father.     Nay,  they  are  both  receiving  new  riches. 
Abraham  has  gone  to  the  end  of  self.     He  has 
thrust  the  knife,  not  into  Isaac,  but  into  his  own 


fi  jr  TT  n-JWrnOtiMmiiSMia 


.fi''.F~ 


8M 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIXLIFE 


'U 


father-heurt.     It  is  enough.     God   prov,des  the 
lamb  and  Abraham  goes  away  glorified. 

Have  you  gone  to  the  end  of  natural  affection  ? 
Have    you-  given    ovei     your     fondnesses    and 
your  affinities  to  Christ  ?     Your  filial  heart,  your 
Llher  heart,  your  father  heart  and  your  lovers 
heart,  have  you  given  this  over  to  the  King  ? 
Jesus  meant  just  what  he  uttered  when  he  said, 
..  It  any  man  comelh  unto  me  and  hateth  not  his 
f.ther   and    mother  and  wife   and   children  and 
brethren  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also, 
he  can  not  be  my  disciple.-     Notice  that  he  says 
that  we  are  to  hate  our  own  lives.     We  are  not  to 
hate  them  more  than  we  hate  others  or  others 
„,ore  than  them.     It  is  the  self-life  wherever  we 
fnid  it.      Deadly  opposition  to  this  everywhere 
will  prepare  us  for  the  immediate  receiving  of  the 
Christ-1'fe  with  which  we  are  called  to  lovingly 
drive  the  self-life  out  of  our  fellows.     We  see  now 
the  possible  righteousness  in  that  strange  saying 
reported  of  Mrs.  Spurgeon,  the  mother  o     the 
.reat  Charles,  "  I  seek  to  bring  you  up  to  live  a 
me  all  for  the  glory  of  God.     If  you  grow  up  and 
dare  to  run  into  sin  and  die  unsaved  I  will  go  to 
the  iudgment.nd  witness  against  you. 

Then  we  may  lose  the  power  of  appreciation  of 
our  friends?  Never.  We  shall  love  them  as  we 
never  did  before.  We  shall  B-nfice  our  owii 
tastes  and  comforts  for  them  with  a  delightful 


E 


liECElVlXO  THE  HOLY  SPfHIT 


33.-. 


prov'dcs  the 
fled. 

Liral  affection  ? 
>ndncsses  and 
ial  heart,  your 
id  your  lover's 
to  the  King? 

when  he  said, 
hateth  not  his 
I   children  and 

own  life  also, 
ce  that  he  says 

We  are  not  to 
hers  or  others 
fe  wherever  we 
his  everywhere 

receiving  of  the 
[led  to  lovingly 
s.  We  see  now 
i  strange  saying 

mother  of  the 
you  up  to  live  a 
jou  grow  up  and 
ived  I  will  go  to 
t  you." 
t  appreciation  of 

love  them  as  we 
icvilicc  our  own 
rith  a  delightful 


cacorncss,  and  we  shall  cherish  thorn  with  that  re- 
gard  which  shall  live  right  on  in  heaven,  sweetly 
in  harmony  with  the  love  of  our  King.  Let  such 
love  as  this  rule  in  our  souls,  and  how  obediently 
the  rppctites  and  passions  will  own  its  sway.  Oh, 
the  Christ-love!  How  it  sweetens  and  elevates 
and  glorifies  the  family  life.  The  higher  life  is 
one  of  higher  affection.  Tlie  Calvary  spirit  at  the 
•  dinner  table  will  make  the  children  extra  well  be- 
haved, 

A  young  lady  asked  me  one  day  why  she  could 
not  enjoy  a  victorious  life  in  Christ.  She  gave 
evidence  of  many  good  qualities  of  character  but 
of  one  great  defect.  I  noticed  it,  and  said,  ' '  Sister, 
were  you  ever  conquered?"  ' '  What  do  you  mean?" 
said  she.  "  I  mean  did  your  mother  or  father  or 
anyone  else  ever  conquer  you,  until  you  gave  up 
to  be  ruled?"  Then  she  replied,  "  I  think  such  a 
thing  never  really  occurred  in  my  life."  There 
was  her  difficulty.  She  had  never  positively  hated 
rebellion.  The  soul  is  deep ;  great  soundings  must 
be  taken  and  great  depths  broken  up.  Do  you 
fear  it?     Fear  what?  The  truth  ? 

Love  it  if  he'.l  seems  to  skirt  it,  love  it,  love 
it.  The  gentle  God  help  you.  Beware  of  plan- 
ishing.  In  straightening  out  plates  of  iron  which 
have  become  bent  at  the  corners,  the  workmen 
do  this.     They  begin  to  pound  the  iron  at  a  dis- 


iidrfflff^ 


3M 


Oirr  OF  THE  CAfX-UFE 


f''W 


tanco  from  the  o(lfi;es  and  then  gnuluur.y  comfi 
out  to  tho  edges,  thus  effecting  a  smooth  surface. 
But  there  is  no  room  for  planishing  here.  This 
is  breaking  off,  this  is  giving  up.  Drop  the  self- 
life  like  a  hot  iron.  It  burns  with  awful  fires. 
Full-shining  of  the  love  of  God,  smite  our  self-life 
dead ! 

Look  at  Elisha.  Word  is  come  that  his  master 
Elijah  is  to  be  taken  away  from  him.  lie  and  Eli- 
jah are  on  their  way  to  the  other  side  of  Jordan, 
where  the  great  scene  of  Elij^^h's  translation  is  to 
occur.  The  young  men  f"om  the  school  of  the 
prophets  wait  yonder  on  the  hillside,  jeering  at 
Elisha.  "  Knowest  thou  not  that  thy  master  will 
be  taken  away  from  thee  to-day?"  He  answers, 
"Yes,  I  know  it,  hold  your  peace."  The  journey 
is  completed  and  Elisha  makes  his  request  that  a 
double  portion  of  Elijah's  spirit  may  rest  upon 
him.  The  assurance  that  his  request  will  be 
answered,  if  the  condition  is  fulfilled,  is  given  to  Eli- 
sha, The  condition  is  fulfilled.  Elisha  has  watched 
him  ascending,  the  mantel  has  fallen,  and  Elisha 
has  made  his  way  back  to  Jordan.  Elijah  with 
that  mantel  divided  the  waters  of  the  Jordan  when 
thoy  passed  over  together.  Can  Elisha  divide 
them  now?  The  test  is  i-eady.  The  boys 
from  the  school  of  the  prophet  watch  to  see 
what  he  will  do.     I  think  I  see  him  step  forth 


ItEClUVLSG  THE  HOLY  SPIIilT 


:»:i7 


Kluiir.y  como 
looth  surfaco. 
T  here.  This 
Drop  the  splf- 
1  awful  fires. 
0  our  self-life 

lat  his  master 
He  and  Eli- 
de of  Jordan, 
vnslation  is  to 
school  of  the 
lo,  jeering  at 
y  master  will 
He  answers, 
The  journey 
eqiicst  that  a 
ay  rest  upon 
[uest    will  be 
s  given  to  Eli- 
la  has  watched 
in,  and  Elisha 
Elijah  with 
e  Joi'dan  when 
Elisha  divide 
The    boys 
vatch    to   see 
im  step  forth 


until   his    feet   are  close    to    the   waters   of    llio 
flowing  river.      I   think   I  lieiir  him  say   to   him- 
self,    "These    waters    will    not    divide;     it    is 
against    nature    to    try    to   make    them   divide; 
pee  how  .sullen  they  look,  and  what  is  this  mantel, 
and  if  I  should   try   to  divide   them  and   fail,   all 
the  days  of  my  life  T  shall  be  taunted  by  tlinsc 
b  lys  y()nd(>r  or    those    whom    they    tell    of    my 
failure.   I  will  have  an  undying  reputation  as  a 
fool.     No,   I  can  not  do  it."   He  waits  and   won- 
ders,   half   believing.      Behold  the   soul's   battle- 
field.     Who    will    win?      God    or    the    enemy? 
Elisha  waits.     And  now  I  hear   him  say  to  him- 
self. "Then  let  me  fail,  let  mo  be  a  fool,  let  those 
students  luugli  at  me  as  long  as  I  live,   or  let  mo 
die  and  let  my  body  fall  into  this  muddy  stream." 
But  his  vision  is  rising.     The  river  is  almost  for- 
gotten, so  is  the  mantel,  so  are  the  boys,  they  are 
all   hidden   in  the  great  consecration.     He   has 
lifted  his  eyes  unto  God,   unto  God  alone.     Ho 
cries,  "Where  is  the  God  of  Elijah?"  and  throws 
the  mantel  down  upon  the  waters,  dividing  them 
right  and  left,  while  the  boys  from  the  school  of 
the  prophets  shout  down  through  the  valley,  "The 
spirit   of   Elijah   doth   rest  upon  Elisha."     See, 
when  Elisha  got  to  the  end   of  the  students  an  . 
the  mantel  and  the  water  and  Elisha,  and  saw 
God  only,  his  victory  came.     Oh,  soul,  make  way, 
make  way  for  the  divine,  let  it  rush  in.     It  alone 


38g 


OUT  OF  THE  CA IX- LIFE 


'4 


shull  iMulurc  thioujrhout  ull  genenitions.     Death 
of  the  solMife.      Tliis  be  thy  watchword.  » 

Let  us  go  to  tliat  memorable  night  when  there 
wresth'd  with  Jaeob  an  ungel  until  th(!  break  of 
day.  Jac.b  was  a  follow.'r  of  God,  he  was  not  a 
heatiien,  bul  he  was  eoiitentioiis  and  sly,  lie  was 
strife-ridden  and  given  to  supplant  otiu  r  people. 
The  angel  wrestles  with  him.  The  angel  here  men- 
tioned Jias  by  many  been  thought  to  be  Jesus 
before  his  inearnation.  Jaeob  wrestled  too. 
Jacob  believes  in  Jacob.  He  w  juld  indorse  the 
theory  we.«o  often  hear,  '  Do  the  best  I  can  and 
let  the  Lord  do  the  rest."  Anon  the  angel  touches 
Jacob  on  the  thigh  and  puts  it  out  of  joint.  Jacob's 
power  to  brace  himself  and  strive  in  the  struggle  is 
gone.  What  can  he  do  but  hold  on  to  theanccl. 
Then  the  angel  cries,  "Let  me  go,  for  the  day 
breaketh  ;'andJacob,  no  longer  capable  of  wrestling, 

•Note  the  steps  up  which  the  Lord  led  Moses. 
Ex.  3  :  4.     (The  Lord)   "  Moses,  Moses." 
(Moses)     '•  Here  am  I." 
(The  Lord)     "  I  will  send  thee." 
(Mosesl     "Who  am  I  ?" 

(The  Lord)     "Thus  shall  ye  say,  I  nm  hath  sent  me." 
(Moses)     "They  will  11  )t  believi-  me." 
(The  Lord)     "'I hey  will  believe." 
(Moses)     "  O  Lord,  I  am  not  eloquent." 
(The  Lu.u)     "I  will  he  with  thy  mouth." 
»:oses)     "Sfc.-d,    I   pray  thee,   by  the  hand   of  whom 

tluni  wilt." 
(The  Lord)     "Is  il'ere  not  Aaron  ?  " 
(Moses)     "And  Aarcn  spake  the  words." 
(The  Lord]     "  Speak  thou  anio  Pharaoh." 
(Moses)     "Behold  I  am  of  uncircumcised ''-is." 
(The  Lord)  "  See  I  have  made  thee  a  god  ur        haraoh." 
(Moses)     "Works  miracles." 
Ex.  13 :  21.     "And  the  Lord  went  before  them  by  day  in  a  pillar  of 
cloud,  to  lead  them  the  way;  and  by  night  in  a  pillar  of  fire,  to  give 
them  light;  that  they  might  go  by  day  and  by  night  " 


Lx 

^ 

4- 

1-x 

1 

10 

Ex 

1 

11 

lix 

3 

•4 

lix 

4 

I. 

Kx 

4 

8. 

Ex 

4 

10 

I'X 

4 

12 

l.\ 

4 

»3 

Ex. 

4- 

.4. 

Ex. 

4: 

10 

Ex. 

(> 

aq 

Ex. 

b: 

10. 

Ex. 

/: 

I. 

»:' 


^K 


itioiis.  Death 
word.  * 

ht  whon  thoi'o 
il  tli(!  break  of 
t,  he  was  not  a 
nd  sly,  he  was 

oth(  r  jjoople. 
ngel  here  nieii- 

to  be  Jesus 
wrestled  too. 
1  indorse  the 
best  I  can  and 
angel  touches 
joint.  Jacob's 
the  struggle  is 
n  to  the  angel. 
<),  for  the  day 
c  of  wrestling, 


«  hath  sent  me." 


t." 

ith." 

he  hand   of  wlioin 


is." 

loh." 

cised  '■'>s." 

5od  ur        haraoh," 

ly  day  in  a  pillar  of 
liar  of  lire,  to  give 
t." 


nE(  En'i'^n  run  holy  srinrr 


^m 


holds  wilh  his  plea  for  a  blessing  until  it  is  said. 
•'  Thou  shalt  no  more  i)e  i  ailed  Jacob  niieaning  a 
sup|)lanler).  but  thou  shalt  be  called  Israel,  for  as  a 
prince  hii.t  thou  had  jMiwer  with  fiod  and  pre- 
vailed." His  victory  came  when  ine!ipal)le  of 
wrestling,  he  could  only  iioi,i»  on  and  art. 

Come,  let  us  be  princes.  Not  doing  the  best 
we  can  and  then  asking  God  to  supplement  it, 
but  let  us  die  unto  all  clfort,  and  then  the  strength 
of  God  shall  work  through  us,  our  own  victories, 
and  the  victories  of  the  kingdom. 

When  Paul  had  received  those  great  revelations 
in  the  upper  heavens  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
bo  preserved  from  any  assertion  of  self.  Ife  says, 
"  Lest  I  should  be  exulted  above  measure  there 
was  given  lo  me  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,"  and  after 
beseeching  the  Lord  three  times  for  its  removal, 
you  remember  the  answer,  "  My  grace  is  sullic- 
ient  for  thee,  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in 
weakness."  Testifying  to  our  own  leanness  does 
not  imply  humility.  It  may  rather  imply  sloth 
and  the  taking  of  the  name  of  the  Lord  in  vain. 
We  may  confess  our  sinfulness  and  honor  our 
Saviour  best  by  witnessing  to  the  victory  we  act- 
ually prove  hour  by  hour.  Persnnal  pessimism 
is  wicked  doul)t.  Yet  we  ar(>  weakness.  Let  us 
admit  it,  let  us  believe  it,  and,  in  fullest  conscious- 
ness of  whatever  it  may  imply,  let  us  receive  God 
and  his  strength.     Paul  did  not  hesitate  to  admit 


»40 


nt'T  OF  TUP.  VAIXl.lFt: 


that  he  was  iioJliiiijj;.  Men  will  tell  you  (liiil,  ymi 
will  become  liiiip  tiiul  tiinilcss  and  ainhitionlcsH  if 
you  undtTtakc  so  to  ahaiulon  yourself  to(<o(l;l)Ut 
is  Divine  love  limp,  is  Calvary  aimless,  is  llio 
Clirist-lifo  without  enerj^y,  is  (lod  dtSKl? 

The  lej^eiid  says  that  when  Malunud  raptured  the 
Hindu  t(;niplo  of  Sonuiatii  he  found  there  a  ^reut 
idol.  Appfoaeliin<^  it  lie  smote  the  hollow  tiling 
with  his  battle  axe,  when,  fortliwitli  it  split  and 
showered  fortli  a  profusion  of  eostly  j(!wels  and 
gold.  My  destroying  the  idol,  Mahmud  secured 
the  treasure  And  i)y  abandoning  our  wislies  and 
prefereiiees,  yea,  ourselves,  unto  <Jod,  we  tind  the 
wealth  of  the  energy  of  the  life  of  the  Tfoly  One. 
Smite  the  idol,  the  dearest  idol,  and  be  filled  with 
the  Spirit  to-day. 

To  the  Ephesians  Paul  says,  '■  H,- "not  drunk 
with  wine  wherein  is  e.xeess,  but  be  tilled  with  the 
Spirit"  (Eph.  v:  18),  and  on  the  very  same  page 
of  his  Epistle  he  tells  husbands  to  love  their 
wives,  and  wives  to  be  true  to  their  husbands,  and 
children  to  obey  their  parents;  hence  it  is  just  as 
important  and  just  as  binding  upon  us  to  be  filled 
with  the  Holy  Spirit  as  it  is  for  us  to  be  true  in 
our  family  relationships.  The  figure  Paul  uses 
here  is  a  very  ex[)ressive  one.  We  will  not  get 
the  best  results  by  having  in  our  minds  the 
picture  of  a  receptacle  buing  filled  with  some  kind 
of  commodity,  as  for  insUMice,  a  pail  being  filled 


\ 


B 


ni:vt:insu  tiiu  holy  sriuir 


341 


1  you  tluit  you 
iuiil)itioiilt<sH  if 
elf  to  Ciod;  but 
iiilcss,    is    till! 

idciiptuivd  the 
there  a  great 
['.  hollow  thing 
ill  it  split  uiid 
lly  jowc-ls  uud 
ihiiiud  secured 
our  wislios  and 
otl,  we  liiid  the 
the  Holy  One. 
il  be  filled  with 

n.'  "not  drunk 
3  filled  with  the 
ery  same  page 

to  love  their 
husbands,  and 
ICC  it  is  just  as 
1  us  to  be  filled 
;  to  be  true  in 
jure  Paul  uses 
'^e  will  not  get 
)ur  minds  the 
with  some  kind 
tail  being  filled 


with  wiitcr  m-  a  basket  with  fruif.  We  must  go 
beyond  tliis.  Luke  says,  "All  in  Ihe  synagogu(> 
wvwji/fiif  with  wrath."  (iiuko  iv:  28.)  Also, 
"Ueliold  a  man  fn/f  of  leprosy."  (liuke  v;  12.) 
Nrnv,  a  man,/V<//of  wrath  lias  every  secret  spring 
(if  liis  soul's  action  touclied  and  moved  by  wrath, 
and  a  man  /nil  of  leprosy  is  pernuuilcd  with  the 
di.MH.se.  So  here,  a  man  full  of  lii(<  S[)irit  has  every 
secret  spring  of  his  soul's  action  touched  and  moved 
by  the  Sjiirit  and  he  is  permeated  witli  the  Spirit. 
It  is  life  to  life  and  Spirit  to  spirit. 

While  the  tcn.se  of  the  verb  used  in  this  text 
would  make  the  verb  read  "  IJe  ye  filling  with 
the  Spirit,"  that  in  Acts  ii:l  lili-rally  reads 
••Tiiey  were  all  filled  willi  the  Holy  fJhost,"  and 
that  in  Acts  xi:24  literally  reads  "Ilejwas 
*  *  *  full  of  the  Holy  (ihost."  Pio  we  have 
three  tenses  of  the  verb,  !j;iving  us  a  fullness, 
realized  definitely  as  an  incident  in  the  past,  a 
present  fullness,  and  a  continuous  lilling — filled, 
full,  and  filling.  A  moment's  reflection  will  sug- 
gest space  for  growth  and  for  the  impartation  of 
help  for  others  through  us,  for  which  the  Holy 
One  provides,  through  this  three-fold  expression 
of  tlie  word  "fill."  Start  anyjwhorc  on  tliis 
thought  and  run  out  ujjon  any  one  of  its  direct 
lines  and  you  find  it  literally  paved  with  oppor- 
tunity. Again,  being  filled  with  the  Spirit  is  ex- 
pressively placed  over  against  being  drunlc  with 


\ 


If' 


M   'ii' 


tS. 


342 


OUT  OF  THE  CAIX-LIFE 


wlno.  A  man  who  is  drunk  does  not  live  liisown 
life;  his  tJKMijrhtsui'o  wine  thoughts,  liis  guil,  is  a 
wincguit,  his  words  are  wine  words,  so  the  man 
who  is  tilled  with  the  Spirit  does  not  live  his  own 
life,  liis  thoughts  arc  to  be  brought  into  captivity 
to  the  obedience  of  Christ,  his  words  arc  pure 
words,  he  lives  in  the  Spirit,  and  he  walks  in 
tlic  Spirit.  This  is  the  way  '.  of  the  Cain-life; 
we  die  with  Christ  that  w(  rr,  y  live  with  him. 
What  a  beautiful  life  must  fol.  'W 

Limitless  territory  awaits  us.  Tlie  Inlinite  One 
hath  placed  himself  at  our  disposal,  he  hath  filled 
us  with  himself,  we  have  received  the  promise  of 
the  Father,  by  faith  the  gift  is  ours. 

Nov/  is  the  work  done,  is  tliis  a^i "  No,  we  are 
to  share  the  glory  of  the  King  in  his  beauty  and 
our  bodies  are  to  be  made  like  unto  l»is  own,  wo 
are  to  ccic  where  we  have  perfect  liberty.  Cit- 
izens of  heaven!  Tearless,  stainless,  sinless 
heaven!  There  no  tempter  could  ever  suggest 
the  wish  for  sinning.  And  here  and  now,  while 
we  breathe  through  this  weak  clay  in  which 
we  live,  all  the  universe  is  filled  with  oppor- 
tunity and  advantage  for  us  in  Christ.  Tao 
full  heart  should  become  larger  and  the  large 
heart  should  gi'ow  during  the  centuries  to  receive 
more  and  more  of  the'  teaching,  the  leading  and 
tiie  power,  to  the  glory  of  the  Father  and  of  the 
Son  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 


imii  ilfmm 


LIFE 


i  not  live  Ills  own 
;lits,  liis  {fail,  is  a 
oi'ds,  so  I  lie  man 

not  live  bis  own 
;ht  into  captivity 

words  arc  pure 
md  he  walks  in 
,  of  the  Cain-lifo; 
y  live  with  him. 

V 

The  Infinite  One 
sal,  he  hath  filled 
id  the  promise  of 
)urs. 

a^  i "  No,  we  are 
in  his  beauty  and 
mto  l>is  own,  wo 
cct  liberty.  Cit- 
stainless,  sinless 
aid  ever  suggest 
e  and  now,  while 
[{  clay  in  which 
iUed  with  oppor- 

in  Christ.  Tao 
r  and  the  large 
nturies  to  receive 

the  leading  and 
rather  and  of  the 


nECEiriNO  THE  HOLY  SPUirF 


3n 


And  thus  liiuling  Christ  we  shall  find  human- 
ity—and ourselves.  The  life  that,  saves  shall 
usurp  the  life  that  slays,  ami  we  shall  be 
"All  like-minded,  compassionate,  loving  as 
brethren,  tender-hearted,  humble-minded;  not 
rendering  evil  for  evil,  or  reviling  for  revil- 
inc;  but  contrariwise,  blessing."  (I  Peter  iii: 
8,  9.)  "I  venerate  Christ  in  the  slave  who 
cleans  my  sandals,"  said  the  benevolent  Paulinus. 

We  have  left  Cain  in  the  distance.  Look  not 
back  upon  him.  Manhood  is  to  be  found  in  the 
very  opposite  direction,  where  stands  the  Christ, 
"the  Way,  the  Truth  and  THE  LIFE." 


..  *'-.-u/,:...  i;^^i1ikv^^-iiaSB£5»S«SSAl 


